GOP debate recap: Who won and who lost in second Republican showdown

The second Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, descended into chaos on several occasions with candidates speaking over each other.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum all took part.

Much like in the first debate, Mr Ramaswamy quickly became the focus of the attacks of the other candidates on Wednesday night as he was slammed for his voting record and alleged business connections to China.

Several candidates called out former President Donald Trump for not attending the showdown to instead speaking to auto workers in Michigan, where he said none of those running would be his VP candidate.

Several shouting matches broke out during the roughly two hours of debating on Fox Business as the moderators lost control while the candidates appeared desperate to get their lines in.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called out Mr Trump directly to the camera and was later mocked for calling him “Donald Duck” for ducking the debate.

Key Points

• Winners and losers of the second Republican debate

• Awkward laughter as Mike Pence makes sex joke at Republican debate

• DeSantis says he rejects notion ‘pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats'

• Chris Christie mocked for ‘Donald Duck’ nickname for Trump: ‘New levels of cringe’

• GOP debate turns chaotic as candidates turn on Ramaswamy over China, voting and border

‘Every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber’: Haley roasts Ramaswamy

16:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikki Haley delivered one of the most brutal moments of the second GOP debate as she told Vivek Ramaswamy she feels “dumber” every time she hears him.

The former UN ambassador’s scathing rebuke came as she attacked Mr Ramaswamy’s stance on TikTok during the Republican presidential showdown on Wednesday night.

“This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have,” said Ms Haley.

“And… honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” she added, prompting cheers from the audience.

Martha McHardy reports.

Haley roasts Ramaswamy in debate: ‘Every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber’

Biden applauded for three word takedown of GOP debate

16:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden mocked the second GOP debate with a three-word takedown of leading Republican candidate Donald Trump, who did not even bother to show up for it.

The president took to X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter, to repost a video of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis complaining that Mr Trump had again refused to debate his 2024 rivals.

“[Donald Trump] owes it to you to defend his record where they added 7.8 trillion to the debt. That set the stage for the inflation that we have now,” Mr DeSantis said on the stage on Wednesday night. “Couldn’t agree more,” Mr Biden’s personal account wrote above the video.

Graeme Massie reports.

Biden campaign trolls Trump’s Michigan event by buying up ads on Fox News

16:20 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden’s campaign sought to troll Donald Trump and the Republican party, after buying up advertising space on major US television networks before and during Wednesday night’s GOP candidate debate.

The two 30-second ads, one of which takes aim at Mr Trump and the other targeting voters in the Latino community, will be shown simultaneously on Fox News and Univision from 9pm eastern time.

The Daily Beast was first to report on the strategic placement of the advertisements.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Biden campaign trolls Trump event by buying up ads on Fox News

Watch: South Carolina showdown between Haley and Scott

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Senator Tim Scott and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley went head to head on Wednesday night over [checks notes]... curtains.

The two South Carolina Republicans faced off over the implementation of a gas tax and the State Department’s purchase of new drapes for Ms Haley’s official residence near the United Nations in New York.

‘New levels of cringe’: Christie mocked for ‘Donald Duck’ nickname for Trump

15:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie was mocked online on Wednesday evening after he attempted during the second presidential debate to give Donald Trump a new nickname: “Donald Duck.”

“I want to look in that camera now and tell you, Donald, I know you’re watching, you can’t help yourself.,” Mr Christie said. “You’re not here tonight, not because of polls and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight because you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record. You’re ducking these things.”

“Let me tell you what’s going to happen,” he continued. “You keep doing that, and no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re gonna call you Donald Duck.”

The comments — met with a mix of cheers and boos in the debate hall — were mocked online.

Continued...

Voices: Inside the madness of the Republican presidential debate

15:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Comedian Jay Black descends into the chaos and mud-slinging of the latest interminable GOP debate. Here’s his minute-by-minute account of the highs, lows, and super-lows of the evening and why you’re seeing Donald Duck all over the internet today.

Inside the madness of the Republican presidential debate | Jay Black

Watch: Newsom not convinced he even saw next vice presidential nominee on stage

15:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Unexpected debate moment: Mike Pence makes sex joke

15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Vice President Mike Pence made an awkward joke about “sleeping with a teacher for 38 years” after former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie commented on the marriage of President Joe Biden.

It was unexpected, to say the least (and should be included in future debate drinking games).

Gustaf Kilander has the full details.

Awkward laughter as Mike Pence makes sex joke at Republican debate

Watch: Biden airs 2024 campaign ad ahead of GOP debate on Fox News

14:40 , Oliver O'Connell

DeSantis remains bullish as Fox News host calls out 37-point poll gap to Trump

14:20 , William Mata

Ron DeSantis has refused to throw in the towel on his campaign to be the Republican pick for the next election, despite being given a sober look at the current polling numbers.

The governor of Florida was informed by Laura Ingraham on the right-wing Fox News network that he faces a 37-point deficit to Donald Trump in one early primary state.

On her show, Ms Ingraham said: “Now, governor, the latest CBS poll out of New Hampshire shows that you’re in second, albeit a distant second behind Trump ... You’re at 13 per cent, he’s at 50 per cent.”

Continued...

DeSantis says campaign is not over as Fox host reveals 37-point poll gap to Trump

Watch: ‘Thank you for speaking while I’m interrupting'

14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

AOC blasts GOP over ‘disgusting and misogynistic’ sex joke about first lady

13:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Member of Congress Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday slammed Republicans for taking misogynist potshots at Jill Biden at the second of the GOP’s primary debates.

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie took a swipe at the first lady’s status as a teacher at the debate, arguing that the public school system was run by “teachers unions in this country” instead of the public.

Dr Biden is a member of the National Education Association and vowed to continue her work as a community college professor.

Continued...

GOP candidates refuse to answer who should be voted ‘off the island’

13:15 , Martha McHardy

The Republican candidates faced a Survivor-style elimination ceremony on Wednesday night during the second GOP primary debate.

The seven candidates were asked by moderator Dana Perino who should sacrifice themselves in order to defeat the party’s current frontrunner Donald Trump – but each and every one of them refused to answer.

“So which one of you onstage tonight should be voted off the island?” Ms Perino asked, asking the candidates to each name the individual they most think should drop out of the race.

Leading the charge, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dismissed the question outright.

Continued...

Republican candidates refuse to say who they would vote ‘off the island’

Trump attacks ‘bum’ Chris Christie over ‘boring’ GOP debate

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump took aim at former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, his one-time ally now major foe and Republican rival for the 2024 nomination, following the party’s second primary debate on Wednesday night.

Mr Christie had hit out at Mr Trump for skipping the debate – avoiding answering questions on his record as president.

The former president didn’t take kindly to the criticism levelled against him and attacked the former New Jersey governor on Truth Social going after his record as a Republican governor of a blue state.

Trump takes aim at ‘bum’ Chris Christie over ‘boring’ GOP debate

Watch: Newsom schools DeSantis on crime in Florida

12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

GOP debate turns chaotic as candidates turn on Ramaswamy over China, voting and border

11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The knives were out for Vivek Ramaswamy at the second Republican presidential debate.

Wednesday evening’s contest descended into chaos at one point, with the businessman at the centre of a barrage of attacks coming from all directions. His rivals, apparently responding to his fiery and attention-grabbing performance at the first contest, were ready with prepared attacks. Mr Ramaswamy never saw it coming.

In the span of just a few minutes, the Republican hopeful endured deep cuts from at least three candidates. It was begun byTim Scott, who looked at the cameras as his rivals spoke at each other and quipped: “We should have a debate between Vivek and Vivek” — a reference to his rival’s reversals on the issue of doing business with China and his past criticism of Donald Trump.

There was Mike Pence, waiting for a quiet moment as always, before inserting a jab aimed at Mr Ramaswamy, derisively asserting that Mr Ramaswamy began voting in presidential elections in 2018, around the time his businesses pulled out of China.

Minutes later, Nikki Haley took it even lower. Addressing her competitor, she insisted that she felt “dumber” every time Mr Ramaswamy addressed the crowd.

Read more

Honorary winners: Ilia Calderón and Dana Perino

11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Throughout the debate, Ms Perino, a former White House press secretary in the George W Bush White House, not only asked some of the most pointed questions, but also helped wrangle the multi-candidate field back to the main topics. When Gov Doug Burgum wanted to blurt out a response when it wasn’t his turn, she said simply “No, Gov Haley.”

Similarly, fellow moderator Ilia Calderón, a journalist for Univision, asked some of the most incisive questions about Florida’s curriculum around slavery, which elicited Mr Scott’s best response. She also pointedly that “73 per cent of Latinos think Republicans don’t think you care about them,” which forced the GOP to reckon with the fact they will need to win over a large swath of these voters should they want to take back the White House.

Loser: Mike Pence

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Most Republican primary voters will likely never forgive the former vice president for his refusal to go along with Mr Trump’s scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

That being said, throughout the night, he did himself no favours, often coming off as stiff and stilted. In response to Mr Christie’s nasty quip about Mr Biden and his wife, Mr Pence said, “I’ve got to admit I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years. Full disclosure.” It elicited nervous laughter.

In addition, he likely hoped for soaring applause when he called for an expedited death penalty for mass shooters, but got zero response. Furthermore, when he tried to shift the question from moderator Dana Perino about Obamacare to his preferred topic, she asked bluntly, “Does that mean Obamacare is here to stay?”

Neutral: Vivek Ramaswamy

10:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Last go-around, the businessman-turned-presidential-candidate faced the business end of most attacks from his opponents. That earned him a few weeks of attention before he slowly started to fade into the background.

But – to borrow from the rapper whose songs he likes to cover – Wednesday meant it was back to reality. He faced occasional attacks from former vice president Mike Pence and Ms Haley, which once again highlighted his lack of experience and grasp on policy.

At the same time, he did what he mastered in the last debate: planting himself deeply beneath the skin of his opponents. He got the better of Mr Scott in their exchange when he said “Thank you for speaking while I’m interrupting.”

Still, this performance will likely not raise or decrease his standing.

DeSantis hits out at Trump for not attending GOP debate: ‘Missing in action’

09:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida governor Ron DeSantis tore into Donald Trump on Wednesday for skipping the second 2024 Republican presidential debate, complaining the former president was “missing in action.”

“Where’s Joe Biden,” he said. “He’s completely missing in action from leadership. You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight.”

“He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt,” he added. “That set the stage for the inflation we have now.”

The Florida governor wasn’t the only one going after Mr Trump, who made a campaign stop on Wednesday at a non-union auto plant in Michigan instead of attending the second Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

“Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won’t show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us are up here to answer,” former New Jersey governor Chris Christie said on the debate stage. “He put $7 trillion on the debt, he should be in this room to answer those questions for the people you talk about who are suffering.”

Read more

Winner: Nikki Haley

09:00 , Eric Garcia

The former South Carolina governor has surged in the polls in recent months. That has given her the opportunity to earn money from donors and support from activists, even though she still faces a long shot to bear Mr Trump (she still trails him even in her home state).

And indeed, throughout much of the debate, she did not engage in the mudslinging from the men on the stage. Similarly, she took many well-earned swipes against Mr Ramaswamy, whom she seems to have a special level of contempt for. Specifically, she told the political neophyte, “Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber.”

As Mr DeSantis’s poll numbers continue to decline, anti-Trump Republicans–or at least Republicans who think he would lose the presidency–will inevitably look for a new hope and this performance will certainly inspire confidence.

Loser: Chris Christie

08:00 , Eric Garcia

Debates have often been the former New Jersey governor’s strong suit. He notoriously sank Senator Marco Rubio’s bid for the White House in 2016 during one such exchange. While his poll numbers have increased in recent months, he continues to be far behind Mr Trump. In the last debate, he regularly attacked Mr Trump’s alleged violations of the rule of law with the most tact.

But his success may have gone to his head this go around. At one point, he directly addressed Mr Trump, saying “Donald, I know you’re watching. You can’t help yourself” before mocking him for avoiding the debate. It would have been a pitch-perfect line had it not been for what came next when he said, “if you keep doing that, no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. They will call you Donald Duck.” The line was corny, contrived and all too canned for someone who usually delivers wise guy cracks.

But his true below-the-belt moment came when he took an attack on teachers’ unions, his longtime enemy since he was New Jersey governor, and tried to toggle the attack toward Mr Biden. But instead, he took it to the gutter by attacking Mr Biden’s wife, Dr Jill Biden, a professor at a community college, by saying, “When you have the president of the United States sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you could take the stranglehold away.”

VIDEO: Chaos breaks out as candidates jump on Ramaswamy

07:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Neutral: Sen Tim Scott

06:00 , Eric Garcia

For the duration of his tenure in politics, the South Carolina Republican has largely been a happy warrior. That has earned him praise from donors, conservative activists and fellow senators, but to improve his station in the polls, he needed to develop some sharper elbows.

But that meant he engaged in a shouting match with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, criticising him for saying that the other candidates were “bought and paid for” and accusing him of being in league with the Chinese Communist Party and associates of Hunter Biden. That aggressive approach often came off as contrived and his message got muddled.

Their exchange in turn came off as petty and prevented a more substantive discussion that could have elevated Mr Scott. What he hoped would be a knock-out punch turned into a slugfest that knocked out a few of his teeth.

At the same time, he used a question to rebut Mr DeSantis’s curriculum in Florida, saying there were no redeeming qualities in slavery. He also discussed his experiences as a Black man who has faced discrimination while reassuring conservatives that America is not a racist country, while also criticising government assistance to the poor in the library of the president who perpetuated the idea of welfare queens in political dialogue. That earned him cheers.

Winner: Ron DeSantis

05:00 , Eric Garcia

For the past few months, the Florida governor has been plagued by attacks from the former president, who has taken to calling him “DeSanctimonious.” But right out the gate, Mr DeSantis took a swipe at his former political benefactor and was able to double-barrel an attack on President Joe Biden as well.

“Donald Trump is missing an action,” he said. “He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record, where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.”

Similarly, Mr DeSantis was able to tout his record as governor, which was the whole reason that many Republican donors fell in love with him to begin with. He earned large applause lines throughout the debate.

Joe Biden applauded for three word takedown of GOP debate

04:30 , Graeme Massie

Joe Biden mocked the second GOP debate with a three-word takedown of leading Republican candidate Donald Trump, who did not even bother to show up for it.

The president took to X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter, to repost a video of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis complaining that Mr Trump had again refused to debate his 2024 rivals.

“[Donald Trump] owes it to you to defend his record where they added 7.8 trillion to the debt. That set the stage for the inflation that we have now,” Mr DeSantis said on the stage on Wednesday night. “Couldn’t agree more,” Mr Biden’s personal account wrote above the video.

Users of X were quick to applaud the president’s quick-fire response and mocking Republican complaints that an intern was posting for the president.

“He doesn’t need an intern when the GOP ‘candidates’ are making his arguments for them,” wrote one user.

Read more

Who won the second Republican debate?

04:06 , Eric Garcia

Former President Donald Trump may not have been present at the second Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, but plenty of the Republican candidates took swipes at the former president as much as they attacked each other on the debate stage.

Despite the sunny disposition of the library’s namesake, the debate often devolved into a slugfest, with the candidates talking over each other with very little that could be heard. Similarly, since the debate moderators could not question Mr Trump, the candidates often attacked each other on their records.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump holds what might be an insurmountable lead in the polls as he held a rally in Detroit instead of joining the other candidates onstage.

Here are our winners and losers

Awkward laughter as Mike Pence makes sex joke at Republican debate

03:53 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Vice President Mike Pence made an awkward joke about “sleeping with a teacher for 38 years” after former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie commented on the marriage of President Joe Biden.

“As president, I will take on the teachers union and win, just like I did in New Jersey. Right now, we have a president who is sleeping with a member of the teachers union,” Mr Christie said on Wednesday night, in reference to first lady Jill Biden, a teacher. “They have an advocate inside the White House every day as an advocate for them. They need to stop defending the worst teachers and start defending our kids.”

“Chris, you mentioned the president – my wife isn’t a member of the teachers’ union, but I gotta admit I have been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years ... full disclosure,” Mr Pence said.

Mr Christie argued that “this public school system is no longer run by the public. It is run by the teachers’ unions in this country”.

“Randi Weingarten and her crew ... they’re taking the worst of their members and defending them rather than advocating for our kids,” he said about the president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Read more

DeSantis says he rejects notion ‘pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats'

03:51 , Gustaf Kilander

DeSantis argued that the abortion issue wasn’t the thing that caused the GOP to underperform in the 2022 midterms.

“I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats. I think there's other reasons for that,” he said. “The former president, you know he's missing in action tonight. He's had a lot to say about that. He should be here explaining his comments.”

“I think we should hold the Democrats accountable for their extremism, supporting abortion all the way up until the moment of birth that is infanticide, and that is wrong,” he added.

In 2022, The Washington Post noted: “The GOP attacks are disingenuous at best. They imply that late-term abortions are common — and that they are routinely accepted by Democrats.

“The reality, according to federal and state data, is that abortions past the point of viability are extremely rare. When they do happen, they often involve painful, emotional and even moral decisions.”

VIDEO: 'I've been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years': Pence jokes after Christie comments on Biden's marriage

03:46 , Gustaf Kilander

Republicans concerned about future of race as second debate moves towards end

03:38 , Gustaf Kilander

Chris Christie mocked for ‘Donald Duck’ nickname for Trump: ‘New levels of cringe’

03:37 , Josh Marcus

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie was mocked online on Wednesday evening after he attempted during the second presidential debate to give Donald Trump a new nickname: “Donald Duck.”

“I want to look in that camera now and tell you, Donald, I know you’re watching, you can’t help yourself.,” Mr Christie said. “You’re not here tonight, not because of polls and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight because you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record. You’re ducking these things.”

“Let me tell you what’s going to happen,” he continued. “You keep doing that, and no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re gunna call you Donald Duck.”

The comments, met with a mix of cheers and boos in the debate hall, were mocked online.

Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly opined on X that the “’Donald Duck’ line was lame.”

Read more

Biden campaign trolls Trump event by buying up ads on Fox News

03:36 , Mike Bedigan

President Joe Biden’s campaign sought to troll Donald Trump and the Republican party, after buying up advertising space on major US television networks before and during Wednesday night’s GOP candidate debate.

The two 30-second ads, one of which takes aim at Mr Trump and the other targeting voters in the Latino community, will be shown simultaneously on Fox News and Univision from 9pm eastern time.

The Daily Beast was first to report on the strategic placement of the advertisments.

The debate saw seven Republican hopefuls, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, and Doug Bergum, take the stage.

Former president Trump again chose to skip the public debate and instead addressed workers in Michigan at a non-union automotive parts manufacturer.

Read more

Ramaswamy goes on another rant against trans rights

03:35 , Gustaf Kilander

Vivek Ramaswamy called “transgenderism” a “mental health disorder” and that he would “ban genital mutilation or chemical castration under the age of 18”.

GOP debate turns chaotic as candidates turn on Ramaswamy over China, voting and border

03:26 , John Bowden

The knives were out for Vivek Ramaswamy at the second Republican presidential debate.

Wednesday evening’s contest descended into chaos at one point, with the businessman at the centre of a barrage of attacks coming from all directions. His rivals, apparently responding to his fiery and attention-grabbing performance at the first contest, were ready with prepared attacks. Mr Ramaswamy never saw it coming.

In the span of just a few minutes, the Republican hopeful endured deep cuts from at least three candidates. It was begun byTim Scott, who looked at the cameras as his rivals spoke at each other and quipped: “We should have a debate between Vivek and Vivek” — a reference to his rival’s reversals on the issue of doing business with China and his past criticism of Donald Trump.

Read more

Haley says she feels ‘dumber’ after listening to Ramaswamy

03:19 , Gustaf Kilander

Nikki Haley slammed Vivek Ramaswamy, saying that she “feels a little bit dumber” the more he talks.

“We can’t trust you,” she said as a shouting match ensued over the use of the social media app TikTok.

Trump declares he won’t pick any Republican vying for nomination as running mate

03:12 , Graeme Massie

Donald Trump says he will not pick any of the Republicans running against him for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination to be his running mate if wins the primary.

The former president skipped the second GOP debate and poked fun at the “job candidates” taking part during his own competing speech at a Michigan auto parts factory.

“We are competing with the job candidates, they are all running for a job. They are all job candidates. They will do anything, Secretary of something, they even say VP. Has anyone seen a VP in that group? I don’t think so,” Mr Trump told the crowd at Drake Enterprises, an automotive manufacturing plant in Clinton Township.

And he added: “They don’t have a crowd like we have, thousands of people outside who couldn’t get in.”

Read more

Pence calls for faster death penalty after mass shootings

02:58 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Vice President Mike Pence called for a faster death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting.

“I am sick and tired of these mass shootings happening in the United States of America,” he said. “And if I'm President of the United States, I'm going to go to the Congress of the United States. And we're going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting so that they meet their fate in months, not years.”

“It is unconscionable that the Parkland shooter run is actually going to spend the rest of his life behind bars in Florida. That's not justice. We have to mete out justice and send a message to these would-be killers that you are not going to live out your days behind bars. You're gonna meet justice,” he added.

Debate gets underway in pictures

02:54 , Gustaf Kilander

Chris Christie goes after Trump for skipping debates again: ‘Donald Duck'

02:43 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Christie called out Mr Trump directly on Wednesday night.

“I want to look at that camera right now,” he said. “Donald, I know you're watching. You can't help yourself. I know you're watching. Okay, and you're not here tonight. Not because of polls, and not because of your indictments. You're not here tonight, because you're afraid of being on the stage and defending your record. You're ducking these things.”

“And let me tell you what's going to happen. You keep doing that. No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We're gonna call you a Donald Duck,” he added.

DeSantis hits out at Trump for not attending GOP debate: ‘Missing in action’

02:36 , Josh Marcus

Florida governor Ron DeSantis tore into Donald Trump on Wednesday for skipping the second Republican debate, complaining the former president was “missing in action.”

“Where’s Joe Biden,” he said. “He’s completely missing in action from leadership. You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight.”

“He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8tn to the debt,” he added. “That set the stage for the inflation we have now.”

Read more

Ramawamy attacked from all sides

02:34 , Gustaf Kilander

Vivek Ramaswamy was attacked from all sides at the debate as Tim Scott slammed him for supposed connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

Mike Pence criticised him for not voting in previous elections.

VIDEO: Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis call out Trump for not showing up to debate

02:31 , The Independent

VIDEO: Burgum battles with moderators for speaking time

02:31 , Gustaf Kilander

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum battled with the moderators as he tried to get speaking time on the issue iof childcare.

Christie and DeSantis goes after Trump for not showing up to debate

02:22 , Gustaf Kilander

Both Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis slammed Donald Trump for not showing up at the debate.

“Joe Biden hides in his basement and won't answer as to why he's raising the debt the way he's done,” Mr Christie said. “And Donald Trump – he hides behind his golf clubs, and won't show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us ... He should be in this room to answer those questions for the people you talk about who are suffering.”

“Where's Joe Biden?” Mr DeSantis asked. “He's completely missing in action from leadership. And you know who else is missing an action– Donald Trump is missing an action, he should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added 7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.”

VIDEO: Stuart Varney stumbles on opening lines of second GOP presidential debate

02:14 , The Independent

Ramaswamy urges striking workers to picket the White House

02:13 , Gustaf Kilander

Vivek Ramaswamy opened his appearance at the second debate by urging those picketing the Big Three automakers to instead picket outside the White House.

“If I was giving advice to those workers, I would say go picket in front of the White House in Washington DC,” he said. “That's really where the protest needs to be – disastrous economic policies that have driven up prices that have driven up interest rates and mortgage rates at the same time wages remaining stagnant.”

“What we need is to deliver economic growth in this country. Unlock American energy, drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear energy, put people back to work by no longer paying them more money to stay at home, stabilize the US dollar itself. And rescind a majority of those unconstitutional federal regulations that are hampering our economy. That is how we unleash American exceptionalism,” he added.

Asked about striking workers, Tim Scott pivots to southern border

02:09 , Gustaf Kilander

Tim Scott was asked about striking workers at the opening of the debate, but the South Carolina senator immediately pivoted to bashing President Joe Biden for his handling of the southern border.

“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line,” Mr Scott said. “He should be on the southern border working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open. And it's leading to the deaths of 70,000 Americans in the last 12 months because of fentanyl. It is devastating. Every county in America is now a border county because fentanyl has devastated Americans in every single state. I will also say six million illegal crossings since Joe Biden has taken office and he eliminated Title 42. The one thing he should do is finish the wall, reinstate Title 42 and get the job done.”

Trump says noone running for president will be his running mate

02:07 , Gustaf Kilander

As the debate began, Donald Trump announced that he wouldn’t choose anyone on the stage as his running mate.

Highly principled libertarian or ruthlessly ambitious kook: Vivek Ramaswamy

02:00 , Ariana Baio

More than a decade and a half after Vivek Ramaswamy was described as an intense “debater-extraordinaire” in The Harvard Crimson in December 2006, he took centre stage at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee as one of the top two candidates.

Depending on who you ask, the biotech entrepreneur came out of the 23 August showdown as either the winner or the candidate who took the most punches from his more senior colleagues.

For part of his undergraduate career, Mr Ramaswamy headed the Harvard Political Union, a role in which he was referred to as simply “The Chairman”. In a moment of foresight, Mr Ramaswamy told The Crimson that “I consider myself a contrarian. I like to argue.”

“Harvard teaches you to be a better questioner… you can be heard even if you aren’t in the mainstream,” he told the school paper.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Vivek Ramaswamy’s 10 principles to become Trump’s successor

Trump rails against electric vehicles and windmills in Michigan ahead of second GOP primary debate

01:35 , The Independent

Newsom praises Biden’s border plan ahead of debate

01:34 , Gustaf Kilander

California Governor Gavin Newsom praised President Joe Biden’s border plan in the spin room at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

“As the governor of a border state, I want to compliment the president for putting out a comprehensive plan,” he said.

Gavin Newsom in the debate spin room for Biden

01:31 , Gustaf Kilander

California Governor Gavin Newsom is in the debate spin room at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Newsom told Semafor that New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez should resign following his indictment on corruption charges.

Five things to watch for in the second Republican presidential debate

01:30 , Eric Garcia

1. Who is tonight’s punching bag?

During the last Republican debate, most of the candidates attacked businessman Vivek Ramaswamy as he saw his numbers surge. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie called him “a guy who sounds like ChatGPT.” Former vice president Mike Pence said he was inexperienced and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley slammed his lack of understanding on foreign policy. Since then, the number of voters who say he is the most electable has declined.

2. Do or die for Ron DeSantis

Those same polls that show Ms Haley rising have also shown Mr DeSantis cratering. For the most part, donors have decided to move elsewhere or at least look into other candidates, including Ms Haley and Sen Tim Scott (R-SC). Months of Mr Trump pummeling him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” coupled with Mr DeSantis’s unwillingness to attack the former president has rendered him extremely vulnerable.

3. The culling of the field

In the same way that Mr DeSantis has seen his campaign lag, candidates who have little chance of winning will begin to hear calls to drop out. Donors will begin cutting off their money. With Mr Trump consolidating his share of the vote, Republican fundraisers and other party leaders will pressure candidates to avoid splitting the non-Trump field.

4. Separating themselves from Trump

While Mr Trump is hoping to show himself as a friend of the working man as he speaks to union workers, many of the Republican presidential candidates have criticised the union strikes. Mr Scott, for his part, praised Mr Reagan for his firing of air traffic controllers when they went on strike. Ms Haley has hit Mr Biden for supporting organised labour. Mr Biden for his part highlighted both Mr Scott and Ms Haley’s words in a recent ad.

5. Shutdown City

The lack of urgency of debates without Mr Trump is emphaised by the fact that it is not even the biggest story about GOP infighting this week. That dubious award goes to Republicans in the House of Representatives who have been unable to come to an agreement to prevent a government shutdown. So far, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been unable to broker an agreement that will make all sides happy.

Trump claims to have ‘risked it all to defend the working class’

01:26 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Trump appeared on stage in Clinton Township in Michigan, claiming to have “put everything on the line to fight” for his supporters.

“I’ve risked it all to defend the working class from the corrupt political class that has spent decades sucking the life, wealth, and blood out of this country,” he said.

Donald Trump takes the stage in Michigan as he skips second debate

01:24 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump has taken the stage in Michigan to speak to striking autoworkers as he skips the second Republican primary debate.

He slammed President Joe Biden after he joined workers on the picket line.

Mr Trump said Mr Biden was siding with “left-wing crazies who will destroy automobile manufacturing”.

Who are the moderators for the debate tonight?

01:00 , Ariana Baio

After a fiery debate last month, Republican presidential candidates are preparing for a second presidential primary showdown on 27 September.

The debate will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Fox News Media’s Dana Perino and Stuart Varney and UNIVISION’s Ilia Calderón will co-moderate the second Republican presidential primary debate, the networks revealed 31 August.

Perino, 51, is a political commentator and author who served as the 26th White House Press Secretary under former US president George W Bush from 2007 to 2009.

Now Perino co-anchors FOX News’ “America’s Newsroom” and is a co-host on “The Five.”

She has worked at Fox News for 14 years and conducted exclusive interviews with the likes of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, among others.

Varney, 75, is a British-American talk show host and a conservative political commentator who works for Fox News and Fox Business Network.

Varney has been in the TV industry for 45 years and was one of Fox Business’ original anchors. He is also the host of his own show called “Varney & Co.” and another programme called “American Built”.

Calderón, 51, co the final 2020 Democratic primary debate between Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont hosted by CNN.

What has Tim Scott said about strikes and unions?

Thursday 28 September 2023 00:30 , Ariana Baio

Mr Reagan fired thousands of air traffic controllers after they went on strike in 1981.

“He said, ‘You strike, you’re fired.’ Simple concept to me. To the extent that we can use that once again, absolutely,” Mr Scott said in Iowa earlier this month, even as the GOP has come to rely more and more on blue-collar workers.

But the Republican Party today remains anti-union, especially when considering what General Dwight Eisenhower told the American Federation of Labor when he was running for president in 1952.

“Today in America unions have a secure place in our industrial life,” he said. “Only a handful of unreconstructed reactionaries harbour the ugly thought of breaking unions. Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of the right to join the union of their choice.”

The senator later elaborated on his comments, saying “Obviously the president doesn’t fire folks in the private sector, but he can do in the public sector”.

“I brought up the Ronald Reagan years because I do think that we need to have front and centre the example of a president who stood strong, and today’s president, he stands weak,” he added.

“The UAW is one of the most corrupt and scandal-plagued unions in America,” Mr Scott said in a statement. “They are showing their true colours once again and autoworkers and taxpayers will be left holding the bag together. They want to threaten me and shut me up.”

“They don’t scare me. I will truly fight for American workers and jobs, promote the dignity of work, and end the Biden retreat from the values that make our nation exceptional,” he added.

“American workers continue to witness how a weak president leads to all sorts of chaos at home and abroad,” Mr Scott said. “Joe Biden and Big Labor bosses are undermining the dignity of work and setting autoworkers up for failure. They’re playing politics with people’s lives.”

Chris Christie evokes his inner Taylor Swift lashing out at Trump

Thursday 28 September 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who is running for president for a second time, referenced a popular Taylor Swift song to throw shade at ex-president Donald Trump.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Christie used a photo taken while he attended a Dallas Cowboys game earlier this week to reference memes about Ms Swift attending a Kansas City Chiefs game.

Social media was abuzz when Ms Swift attended the game because she has been romantically tied to Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ tight end.

Mr Christie joked that he was “just a guy in the bleachers” this past Sunday “but after tonight, Trump will know we are never ever getting back together.”

The ending line was a reference to one of Ms Swift’s songs, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”.

Mr Christie has been a harsh critic of the former president since he used claims of election fraud in 2020 to try and overturn the presidential election results.

Despite having endorsed Mr Trump in the past, Mr Christie now views him as an enemy and used his platform to call on voters to support any other candidates besides Mr Trump.

Where is Donald Trump tonight?

Wednesday 27 September 2023 23:30 , Ariana Baio

Leading the 2024 GOP polls is former president Donald Trump who will be notably absent from Wednesday night’s debate by choice.

Despite qualifying for the first debate – and now the second, Mr Trump refuses to participate.

So instead of joining his rivals on the stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, the ex-president will be addressing current and former union strikers in Michigan.

Mr Trump will deliver remarks at Drake Enterprises, a non-unionised auto parts supplier close to Detroit while the debate airs on Fox Business Network.

With polling numbers above 50 per cent, Mr Trump doesn’t need to participate in the official debate to woo potential voters. Speaking to voters in South Carolina Mr Trump said his rivals “ought to stop wasting their time on the debates.”

During the first debate, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson aired an exclusive interview with Mr Trump on X.

Nikki Haley gets the debate party started in new ad

Wednesday 27 September 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

Hours before Nikki Haley is set to hit the debate stage at the Ronald Reagan Library in California, she’s released an advertisement hyping up her campaign with a well-known party song playing in the background

The ad shows the former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador dominating crowds with soundbites from rallies while the song “Intoxicated” by GTA and Martin Solveig.

“America deserves a choice, not an echo,” Ms Haley wrote on X.

Seven candidates will hit the stage – Asa Hutchinson is not one of them

Wednesday 27 September 2023 22:30 , Ariana Baio

Only seven GOP candidates will appear on stage tonight because Asa Hutchinson did not make the cut and Donald Trump is skipping out.

Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson did not meet the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) tough qualifications to join his political opponents on the debate stage in California tonight.

This time around the RNC is requiring candidates to have at least 50,000 unique donors with at least 200 from 20 states or territories – an increase from the 40,000 unique donors requirement to participate in the first debate.

Candidates also must receive at least 3 per cent support in two national polls or 3 per cent support in one national poll and two polls of early voting states New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina.

Mr Hutchinson did not meet the polling requirements.

In a statement, posted on X, Mr Hutchinson said despite “falling short” he plans to continue his campaign “to bring out the best of America” by scheduling events in several early-voting states.

“I understand that the RNC and the media are trying to reduce the number of candidates, but I measure success based on the response I receive in early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire,” Mr Hutchinson said.

The former governor said he has set a goal to increase polling to 4 per cent in early voting states before Thanksgiving. So long as Mr Hucthinson meets that goal, he will remain in the race.

Debate drinking game tradition resurfaces for second GOP showdown

Wednesday 27 September 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

US voters are preparing to endure another Republican debate tonight as seven candidates take to the stage for the second official GOP primary debate.

No doubt tonight’s showdown featuring Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy will produce some memorable insults and eye-rolling arguments – even if former president Donald Trump isn’t present (again).

If you’re a Democrat, you’ll likely be horrified by what you see on stage tonight. If you’re a Republican, you’ll either be scoffing at the also-rans taking pot-shots at each other in Milwaukee or you’ll possibly be despairing as your favourite candidate fails to get traction in the crowded field.

Election season can be a foreboding proposition given that you may suddenly realise during it that we’re all on this runaway train now until 20 January 2025 when someone will be sworn in as president.

But never fear, as has become a tradition with such political minefield events, there are always the inevitable drinking games to fall back on and take the edge off the evening.

Here are some drinking prompt highlights from the first debate culled from the conservative press.

Oliver O’Connell reports:

Drinking game tradition resurfaces for second GOP debate

Oddsmakers predict Ramaswamy will have slight edge over DeSantis

Wednesday 27 September 2023 21:30 , Ariana Baio

An online sportsbook centre has predicted several outcomes of the second GOP debate tonight, one of which shows Vivek Ramaswamy having a slight edge over Ron DeSantis in taking home the winning title.

Bovada, a crypto-friendly sportsbooking website, predicted that Mr Ramaswamy has the likeliest chance of “winning” the debate with a +175 odds.

During the first debate, Mr Ramaswamy was repeatedly criticised by his opponents who teamed-up to point out Mr Ramaswamy’s lack of experience and ideas.

But still, Bovada believes he will emerge stronger than the rest.

The numbers show the tech entrepreneur having a slight edge over Mr DeSantis, the governor of Florida, who is currently at +200 odds tied with former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.

Far behind the three is former vice president Mike Pence at +1200, South Carolina senator Tim Scott at +1500 and ex-New Jersey governor Chris Christie at +2000.

Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, was not mentioned in the lineup as he qualified late for the second debate.

Tim Scott posts with nephew gearing up for the debate

Wednesday 27 September 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

Tim Scott, the South Carolina senator running for president in 2024, posted a photo of himself and his nephew on X hours before the second GOP debate.

“Blessed to have my nephew Ben here with me in California for the debate!” Mr Scott wrote.

He added: “Having my family by my side means the world.”

Former Speaker Paul Ryan says Republicans will lose if Donald Trump is nominee

Wednesday 27 September 2023 20:30 , Scott Bauer

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday that Republicans will lose the presidential election if Donald Trump is the nominee and that he expects hard-right followers of Trump to force a government shutdown within days.

Ryan, who left office in 2019 and had a sometimes contentious relationship with Trump, said he hoped that another Republican nominee would gain enough momentum early next year to overtake Trump after the first primaries. Ryan represented southeastern Wisconsin in Congress for 20 years, the last four as speaker.

“The party that puts the first fresh face forward wins this election,” Ryan said at an event on the University of Wisconsin campus organized by the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs.

If the race is between Trump and President Joe Biden, Ryan said, “I think Biden wins.”

“I think leaders should endeavor to be honest, ethical, moral people who try to set standards for themselves and lead by example across the country,” Ryan said. “Donald Trump doesn’t try to do any of that. He does the opposite, frankly. So I just don’t think he’s fit for the job here.”

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Donald Trump defrauded banks and insurers by grossly inflating his wealth, judge rules

Wednesday 27 September 2023 20:00 , Alex Woodward

A New York judge has determined that Donald Trump committed fraud by falsely inflating his wealth and assets by billions of dollars, a partial conclusion to a sweeping lawsuit and a years-long investigation from the state’s attorney general taking aim at the former president’s business empire.

The ruling from Judge Arthur F Engoron on 26 September found that the former president, his two adult sons, his companies and chief associates defrauded banks and insurers by grossly overvaluing assets and exaggerating his net worth on documents to secure deals and financing.

Judge Engoron has ordered several of the former president’s licences to be rescinded, effectively upending his abilities to do business in the state. An independent monitor also will continue to oversee compliance with the order and Mr Trump’s operations and liabilities to lenders, insurers and others.

The decision follows a $250m civil suit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose investigation targeted long-running fraud allegations surrounding Mr Trump’s business practices.

A decision arrived days before the start of a non-jury trial, but the partial judgment – a major victory for Ms James and state investigators – resolves key claims in the lawsuit, which the former president’s legal team has repeatedly tried to dismiss. Mr Trump, meanwhile, has tried to sue the judge to block the trial from moving forward. A state appeals court is expected to rule on his case this week.

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DeSantis insists his campaign is on track as Fox News host calls out 37-point poll gap to Trump

Wednesday 27 September 2023 19:45 , William Mata

Ron DeSantis has refused to throw in the towel on his campaign to be the Republican pick for the next election, despite being given a sober look at the current polling numbers.

The governor of Florida was informed by Laura Ingraham on the right-wing Fox News network that he faces a 37-point deficit to Donald Trump in one early primary state.

On her show, Ms Ingraham said: “Now, governor, the latest CBS poll out of New Hampshire shows that you’re in second, albeit a distant second behind Trump ... You’re at 13 per cent, he’s at 50 per cent.”

Despite the charges against him and his loss in the 2020 vote, Mr Trump is the heavy favourite to be the GOP nominee, but Mr DeSantis says he has not given up hope.

Appearing on Tuesday’s edition of The Ingraham Angle, Mr DeSantis appeared bullish about his chances.

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Cassidy Hutchinson urges Republicans to stand up to Trump: ‘We can’t wait any longer’

Wednesday 27 September 2023 19:30 , John Bowden

Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson excoriated Donald Trump in an interview and urged members of her own party to consider that a second term in office for the ex-president could be a threat to the future of US democracy.

Ms Hutchinson was speaking with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, and asked her fellow Republicans to consider the seriousness of the matter, pointing to Mr Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election even after his legal challenges had all failed in the courts.

“Do we want people who have already shown that they are willing and want to overthrow an election for a duly elected president, which is the pinnacle of our democracy – do we want to put people like that back in power?” she asked.

Ms Hutchinson also touched on the criminal case against Mr Trump for mishandling classified US defence documents, arguing that it was another disqualifying factor against the former president.

“Do we want to put people back in power that have mishandled, and have been showed to have mishandled, the most sensitive national security secrets that our nation has?” Ms Hutchinson continued.

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Want to tune in for the second GOP presidential debate? Here's how to watch

Wednesday 27 September 2023 19:00 , Meg Kinnard

The second Republican presidential debate is drawing near with a smaller onstage lineup than the first event last month.

Here’s all of the information on how to watch:

TUNING IN

The two-hour debate will start at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. It’s being moderated by Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney and Fox News Channel host Dana Perino, as well as Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.

The event will air on Fox News Channel and Fox Business, as well as on the network’s website and other streaming and digital platforms. There’s also a Spanish-language feed airing on Univision.

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DeSantis purposely dismantled a Black congressional district, attorney says as trial over map begins

Wednesday 27 September 2023 18:30 , Brendan Farrington

On the same day Alabama Black voters scored a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal trial opened in Florida in which lawyers say Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the U.S. Constitution by deliberately dismantling a congressional district that favored Black candidates.

It’s one of several lawsuits around the country that are challenging Republican-drawn maps they say are gerrymandered to diminish the ability of Black voters to select a candidate of their choice. If successful, the lawsuits could help Democrats as they try to regain control of the House.

The focus in Florida is a district that stretched more than 200 miles to connect Black voters in Jacksonville and in the majority Black county of Gadsden about 200 miles (322 kilometers) to the west. DeSantis vetoed maps the Legislature drew, which would have preserved a Black district, and forced the Legislature to approve one his staff drew.

“The governor pushed and pushed and pushed,” said attorney Greg Baker. “He pressed his argument by sound bite bullying.”

The result was a map that helped Republicans earn a majority in the House and left Black voters in north Florida with only white representation in Washington. That area stretches about 360 miles (579 kilometers) from the Alabama border to the Atlantic Ocean and south from the Georgia border to Orlando in central Florida.

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A timeline of Donald Trump’s rivalry with Ron DeSantis

Wednesday 27 September 2023 18:00 , Joe Sommerlad

After a shaky start to his campaign, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remains former President Donald Trump’s main challenger for the Republican nomination.

During his own tenure in the White House in 2018, Mr Trump loudly cheered Mr DeSantis’s bid for the governor’s mansion, throwing his weight behind the former congressman and appearing at rallies to stump for him, playing an important role in the candidate’s narrow defeat of Democratic rival and Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum.

Since then, however, a great deal of water has passed beneath the bridge and the two men are now increasingly antagonistic towards one another.

Mr Trump has been busy yelling a steady stream of insults and barbed nicknames across the state from Mar-a-Lago, the majority of which Mr DeSantis has wisely allowed to pass without public comment.

Here is a timeline of their disintegrating relationship.

What the GOP candidates have said about abortion rights

Wednesday 27 September 2023 17:30 , Ariana Baio

The issue of abortion rights in the United States is staring the 2024 GOP presidential candidates in their faces as they prepare to kick their campaigns into high gear.

Since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark case Roe v Wade (1973) last summer, abortion has become a top concern for many voters.

Though the anti-abortion stance has long been associated with the Republican Party, approximately 61 per cent of adults in the US believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to Pew Research Center – that statistic includes Republican and Democratic voters.

As Americans look toward their next Republican presidential nominee, no doubt many will be considering where the candidate stands on abortion when determining who they support.

Here is what each GOP presidential candidate has said on the issue.

Trump will skip second GOP debate to give speech to striking workers

Wednesday 27 September 2023 17:00 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump will skip the second Republican presidential primary debate and speak to a crowd of union workers in Detroit amid the ongoing auto strike.

The snub comes after Mr Trump also skipped the first GOP debate of the season last month, choosing instead to sit down with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson for an interview broadcast on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The former president, who stands well ahead of the crowded Republican field in the polls, has downplayed the importance of the debates.

“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more,” he wrote on Truth Social in August. “I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

The lack of a debate presence has done little to impact his front-runner status.

A national average of polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight shows Mr Trump with almost four times the support of his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with a projected 54.7 per cent support among Republican voters to the governor’s 13.9 per cent as of 26 September.

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Can Trump be banned from 2024 presidential race? Legal experts divided on 14th amendment arguments

Wednesday 27 September 2023 16:30 , John Bowden

As Donald Trump looks increasingly likely to be the 2024 Republican nominee for president, it continues to look more and more plausible that there could be a serious effort to keep him off the ballot entirely.

Following his presidency ending in a bloody battle on Capitol Hill, Mr Trump remains the de facto leader of the Republican Party, at least among its primary voting electorate.

Recent polls show the ex-president supported by as many as six in 10 of GOP primary voters nationally, while he also continues to hold commanding leads in early primary and caucus states like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

But winning a primary election is one thing; winning a general election is another. And as Mr Trump consolidates his support within the GOP, some politicians and constitutional law experts alike are growing more vocal about the possibility of simply denying the Republican Party’s candidate from appearing on the ballot next November at all.

The idea centres around the utilisation of a clause in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, originally intended to keep supporters of the South’s failed cause of secession from being elected to office, which bars those who take part in insurrections or who have “given aid or comfort to the enemies” of the United States government from taking office.

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Donald Trump’s play for union votes leaves the GOP in a confusing spot once again

Wednesday 27 September 2023 16:00 , John Bowden

Former President Donald Trump will touch down in Michigan on Wednesday, following up Joe Biden’s historic appearance on a United Autoworkers (UAW) picket line with his own address to striking factory workers and the broader Rust Belt that carried him to victory in 2016 and defeat four years later.

According to a handful of news outlets including the Detroit Free Press, the ex-president will address “500 former or current union members”, apparently part of the event he is hosting at Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township. But that’s where the certainty ends, and the GOP once again, thanks to Donald Trump, careens into uncertain territory.

There are already several inconsistencies that are adding up to make Mr Trump’s visit to the state he snatched away from Hillary Clinton a mess of unclear policy stances and disjointed pro-worker rhetoric. What the former president ends up saying at Wednesday’s event is truly anyone’s guess, other than the near-certainty that he will address the ongoing criminal prosecutions hounding his every step.

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What have GOP candidates said about strikes and unions?

Wednesday 27 September 2023 15:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Before the election of Donald Trump, it would have been more or less unthinkable for a Republican to be criticised for invoking Ronald Reagan.

But as college graduates move towards the Democrats and more socially conservative working-class voters towards the GOP, Republican candidates can no longer invoke the Golden State governor and B-list actor and be sure that whatever they say will be a slam dunk.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott figured this out the hard way on the campaign trail. As both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump speak to the United Auto Workers Union this week, both of them will attempt to appear to be on the side of the workers.

Mr Scott was hit with a complaint from the union after he was asked about his view of the labour negotiations following the UAW’s decision to strike against the Big Three automakers.

“Ronald Reagan gave us a great example when federal employees decided they were going to strike,” he said.

Mr Reagan fired thousands of air traffic controllers after they went on strike in 1981.

“He said, ‘You strike, you’re fired.’ Simple concept to me. To the extent that we can use that once again, absolutely,” Mr Scott said in Iowa earlier this month, even as the GOP has come to rely more and more on blue-collar workers.

But the Republican Party today remains anti-union, especially when considering what General Dwight Eisenhower told the American Federation of Labor when he was running for president in 1952.

“Today in America unions have a secure place in our industrial life,” he said. “Only a handful of unreconstructed reactionaries harbour the ugly thought of breaking unions. Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of the right to join the union of their choice.”

Ahead of the second Republican primary debate on 27 September, here’s what each of the Republican presidential candidates have said about strikes and unions.

Who is running for president in 2024?

Wednesday 27 September 2023 15:08 , Andrew Feinberg, Ariana Baio

With less than two years remaining until US voters will decide who will serve as president of the United States from January 2025 to January 2029, former Republican government officials are starting to jockey for position in the coming fight for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, while at least two Democrats challenge President Joe Biden in a Democratic primary.

As the campaign takes shape, here are the names you need to know.

Debate drinking game tradition resurfaces for Republican primary showdown

Wednesday 27 September 2023 14:00 , Oliver O’Connell

The first debate of an election season can be a foreboding proposition given that you may suddenly realise during it that we’re all on this runaway train now until 20 January 2025 when someone will be sworn in as president.

And yet here we are at the first Republican Party primary debate of the 2024 election. Even without the chaotic presence of former President Donald Trump (though his campaign has released a DeSantis-themed bingo card for tonight), it still could be quite a scene...

If you’re a Democrat, you’ll likely be horrified by what you on stage tonight. If you’re a Republican, you’ll either be scoffing at the also-rans taking pot-shots at each other in Milwaukee — while your preferred candidate sits at home in Bedminster considering his indictments — or you’ll possibly be despairing as your favourite candidate fails to get traction in the crowded field.

Never fear, as has become a tradition with such political minefield events, there are always the inevitable drinking games to fall back on and take the edge off the evening.

Here are some drinking prompt highlights culled from the conservative press.

To TikTok or not to TikTok? One GOP candidate joins the app even as he calls it ‘digital fentanyl’

Wednesday 27 September 2023 13:00 , Meg Kinnard, Adriana Gomez Licon

Republican presidential hopefuls have largely shunned TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing app that some in both parties allege is a potential spy mechanism for China.

But entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy recently became the first 2024 candidate to join the platform, which says it has over 150 million U.S. users. That’s even as he’s accused Beijing of pushing TikTok as “digital fentanyl” to Americans and wants the app banned entirely.

“We’re in this to reach young people, to energize young people, and to do that, we can’t just hide,” Ramaswamy said in his first post earlier this month. “You can’t play in the game, and then not play in the game, so we’re here.”

His competitors face the same conundrum. With U.S.-China tensions already running high, the Republicans running for president have all called for new economic and political measures to punish Beijing. Several major GOP candidates have said they want to ban TikTok. But they also want to reach the younger audiences that don’t watch television ads but consume videos on TikTok or similar apps.

Many campaigns produce short video clips that can be shared between apps, a workaround to not being on TikTok directly. Or they work with conservative influencers on the app who argue Republicans need to engage on it.

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Nikki Haley’s approach to abortion is rooted in her earliest days in South Carolina politics

Wednesday 27 September 2023 12:00 , Meg Kinnard

As a state representative running a longshot campaign for South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley would often explain her opposition to abortion with a story about her family.

“I’m strongly pro-life, very pro-life, and not because my party tells me to be, but my husband was adopted, and so every day I know the blessings of having him there,” she said in 2010.

She won that race and was reelected as governor before serving as former President Donald Trump‘s United Nations ambassador. She’s now competing against Trump as the only woman seeking the Republican presidential nomination. And in a primary race animated by questions over the future of abortion access in the U.S., Haley is reviving the personal anecdote she would give in South Carolina — almost verbatim.

“I am unapologetically pro-life, not because the Republican Party tells me, but because my husband was adopted, and I live with that blessing every day,” she told a New Hampshire audience in May.

Haley is gaining attention in the GOP race with her calls for “consensus” around abortion, an unusual tone in a campaign where Republican White House hopefuls often prefer to highlight their eagerness to fight President Joe Biden and other Democrats. Her supporters say she has staked out a consistent approach from her earliest days in politics, challenging fellow Republicans to be pragmatic in their pursuit of a deeply conservative agenda.

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