Today will be the first presidential debate of the Republicans: where to watch

On August 23, the first Republican presidential debate will be held in Wisconsin. There are nine candidates in total, but the main contender with the highest support rating of fellow party members - Donald Trump - will not be in the debate, reports with the BBC.

Photo: IStock

But the 45th president will try to get everyone's attention by releasing his interview with Tucker Carlson at the same time.

Eight candidates qualified for the Fox News debate. They meet criteria set by the Republican National Committee.

The debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, begins at 21:00 pm ET.

On the subject: Trump is proposed to be permanently removed from any public office

Which candidates qualified

To participate in the event, candidates had to meet a number of requirements set by the Republican National Committee, including making 40 individual campaign contributions.

Candidates also had to have at least 1% support in three separate nationwide polls, or two nationwide polls and one in a state where the first presidential primary was held, such as Iowa. They also had to sign a pledge to support a possible Republican presidential candidate. Trump refused to sign this pledge.

Eight candidates, plus Trump, qualified, as the GOP National Committee reported on the evening of August 21:

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
• Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley
• Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
• North Dakota Governor Doug Bergum
• Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswami
• South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
• Mike Pence, former vice president of Trump
• Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson

How and where to watch

The debate will be broadcast on all Fox platforms, including Fox News Digital, Fox News Audio and Fox Business Network, as well as on media giant Fox Nation's streaming service.

They will last for about two hours and end at 23:00 pm ET.

Why Trump won't show up

Trump will not participate in the debate. At the moment, Donald Trump is the undisputed leader of the race. According to New York Times polls, about 54% of Republicans across the country support him (the results of different polls may differ by 1-2%). His closest pursuer, Ron DeSantis, scored 16%, followed by Mike Pence in third place with 5%.

“The public knows who I am and what a successful presidency I have had,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Sunday. “Therefore, I will not participate in the debate.”

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The former president added that recent polls show he enjoys a "legendary" level of support among Republican voters.

Instead of traveling to Milwaukee, Trump pre-recorded an interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. On the morning of August 23, he announced that the interview would air on X, formerly known as Twitter, at the same time as the debate.

This could distract viewers from the Fox channel, which Trump called a "hostile channel" saying he was treated unfairly there.

Does the result matter?

A poll released by CBS and YouGov last week shows that Trump's already dominant lead over other candidates has grown, even as he faces a fourth criminal charge.

About 62% of likely Republican primary voters say he is their preferred candidate.

But that doesn't mean the debate doesn't matter. The same CBS poll found that an overwhelming majority of likely voters — 91% — want candidates to focus on advancing their interests rather than debating Trump.

Among voters who are at least considering a candidate other than Trump, about 50% said they were "looking forward to the debate." This could mean potential support for any participating candidates who are able to resonate with viewers.

Historically, good results often help candidates. For example, during the 2016 Republican election cycle, support for Trump rose from about 24% on the day of the first debate to just over 30% by the time of the second. Another candidate, neurosurgeon Ben Carson, saw an even bigger increase in public opinion: his share jumped from 5,8% on the day of the first debate to about 20% on the next.

However, it remains to be seen if any boost will be enough to overcome Trump's lead.

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Are there more debates on the agenda?

The second Republican debate in the 2024 election cycle is scheduled to take place Wednesday, September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute in Simi Valley, California. More details on the second debate will be released in the coming weeks.

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