Sept. 25 (UPI) — At least eight candidates have qualified to take the stage at the second Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday, but former President Donald Trump will again skip the event.
The debate, to be staged at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., will be simulcast on FOX Business and FOX News. It runs from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT. FOX hosts Stuart Varney and Dana Perino will moderate.
Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have qualified for the debate.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is the only candidate from the first debate who has not qualified for the second. He has until Monday night at 9 p.m. EDT to qualify.
There will be no opening or closing statements. Candidates will be given 1 minute to answer questions and 30 seconds to respond to follow-ups.
To qualify, candidates need at least 50,000 unique donors and must poll at 3% in at least one national poll and 3% in two polls from different early voting states. Early voting states are Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.
Candidates must also have at least 200 unique donors each in 20 states or territories.
Trump will skip the debate. Instead, he is scheduled to deliver a speech at Drake Enterprises, an automotive supplier in Detroit.
President Joe Biden plans to join United Auto Workers union members on the picket lines in Detroit on Tuesday.
