For a moment, it was Nikki Haley vs
The candidates are going after Biden — and Trump — at second GOP debate. Follow live updatesBy The Associated PressThe Associated Press
Follow along for live updates on the second 2024 Republican presidential debate. The field’s early front-runner, Donald Trump, is skipping the event, just as he did the first. He is 2,000 miles away trying to woo union workers in Michigan amid a labor strike.
The candidates on stage are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
What to know
— 7 candidates qualified for the second debate. Here’s who missed the cut — Here’s how to watch tonight’s debate — Republicans face growing urgency to stop Trump ahead of debate — Trump is in Michigan to compete with Biden for union votes — Who’s running for president? See a rundown of the 2024 candidates
Haley tells Ramaswamy: ‘We can’t trust you’
For a moment, it was Haley vs. Ramaswamy, round two.
As they did in last month’s debut debate, Haley and Ramaswamy had a split-screen sparring back-and-forth in which Haley went after the political newcomer for inexperience and, she alleged, dangerous ideas.
Asked about his recent conversation with a TikTok influencer, Ramaswamy defended his use of the platform.
“I’m the new guy here, and so I know I have to earn your trust,” Ramaswamy said. “I’m here to tell you, no, I don’t know at all. I will listen.” Interjecting by calling TikTok “dangerous,” Haley went on to address Ramaswamy directly — and personally.
“Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley said. “We can’t trust you.”
Ramaswamy responded by saying that “I think we would be better served as a Republican Party if we’re not sitting here hurling personal insults,” before the moderators moved on to another topic.
Moderator threatens to cut Burgum’s mic
The debate is getting chaotic at times, with candidates shouting over one another and the moderators scolding them for not waiting their turns.
At one point, moderator Dana Perino warned Burgum, who was trying to interrupt the questioning, that they would have to cut off his microphone if he didn’t stop interjecting. “I don’t want to do that,” she said, pleadingly “I don’t.”
Moderators also told candidates multiple times that the cross-talking meant they would get fewer questions.
Scott says there is no redeeming quality in slavery
The topic of education also led to the issue of teaching about racism in public schools. Under DeSantis, Florida approved a controversial curriculum that suggests some enslaved people learned useful skills while they were in bondage.
Scott, the only Black candidate on stage Wednesday night, reiterated his criticism of the curriculum under DeSantis by saying, “There is not a redeeming quality in slavery.”
He also suggested that the United States had turned the page on its history.
“We are the greatest nation on earth because we faced our demons in the mirror,” Scott said. He added that, “America is not a racist country.”
Debate brings the cringe
A question about education took two uncomfortable and unexpected turns at Wednesday night’s presidential debate.
Saying that America’s public schools are “run by the teachers unions in this country,” Christie said U.S. schools would continue to struggle because, in his view, the Biden administration is too close to the unions.
“When you have the president that states sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you can take the stranglehold away from the teachers union every day,” Christie said.
In a later question, Pence chimed in, saying that he had been “sleeping with a teacher for 38 years” — but noting that his wife, Karen, is not a union member.
No new ground broken on immigration at debate
Candidates have devoted significant time to discussing the border but said nothing significantly new. Their policy prescriptions were largely in line with each other and with Trump, who made it a signature issue.
Pence, ignoring a question about what he would do to protect immigrants who came to the country as young children, spoke about a Trump-era policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings and cracking down on asylum. Ramaswamy spoke about repealing a constitutional right to birthright citizenship, a position that Trump has entertained.
Candidates spoke as if the influx of asylum-seekers began under Biden’s watch, but it began years earlier. By 2017, the United States became the world’s most popular destination for asylum-seekers, a position it has held ever since, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
Migration has unquestionably grown sharply under Biden. Border arrests topped 2.2 million at the Mexican border in the 2022 fiscal year, which runs from October to September, the highest on record and more than twice the peak year of 852,000 under Trump in 2019. Arrests topped 400,000 during Obama’s last full year in office.
People arriving in families with children under 18 are again behind surging numbers, reaching 93,108 arrests in August, surpassing the previous high of 84,486 under Trump’s watch in May 2019.
So far, no talk of funding for Ukraine
The debate’s more than halfway done, but there has been no mention so far of the big political issue that is threatening a government shutdown as soon as this weekend — funding for Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
Much discussion in the candidates’ first debate on Ukraine funding.
Youngest candidate says teens should avoid ‘addictive social media’
He’s the only GOP presidential candidate on TikTok, but Ramaswamy is talking about teens staying away from “addictive social media.”
In a question about security, Ramaswamy pivoted to a discussion of border security, talking about teens turning to social media like Snapchat to procure pharmaceuticals.
“If you’re 16 years old or under, you should not be using an addictive social media product, period,” he said.
Ramaswamy, who at 38 is the youngest candidate on stage, has referred to TikTok as “digital fentanyl” but earlier this month joined the platform, with his campaign saying he was angling to appeal to younger voters.
The platform has been met with bipartisan criticism that it is a potential spy mechanism for China.
Border wall won’t stop fentanyl from coming across border
DeSantis raises the possibility of military intervention in Mexico when asked about fentanyl. Ramaswamy calls for more border wall when asked about fentanyl. Both ignore some critical facts about how the drug gets into the country.
Fentanyl seizures occurred predominantly at official land crossings, where commuters and visitors smuggle drugs on their bodies or in their vehicles. From September through August, 11.4 tons of the 12.8 tons of fentanyl seized at the border Mexico were discovered at land crossings, while the remaining 1.4 tons were in between border crossings, where people enter the country illegally.
At a hearing July 12, James Mandryck, a Customs and Border Protection deputy assistant commissioner, said 73% of fentanyl seizures at the border since the previous October were smuggling attempts carried out by U.S. citizens, with the rest being done by Mexican citizens.
Trump gets a nickname of his own: Donald Duck
Christie has a new name for Trump — Donald Duck.
A former ally who broke with Trump over his election denial, Christie awarded the moniker to the absent Republican front-runner for skipping the debate.
Speaking into the camera, Christie said, “I know you’re watching” because “you can’t help yourself.” And he accused Trump of being absent because “you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record.”
“No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re going to call you Donald Duck.”
Pence reminds voters of his time as VP
Pence is using his time onstage to remind viewers he’s a White House alumnus.
Twice asked a question about working to protect immigrants from deportation if they came with their parents as young children, Pence ignored it and emphasized his resume instead.
The former vice president recalled how during the Trump administration, he had negotiated the policy to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico for court hearings in the U.S.
“This is no time for on the job training,” Pence said. “I’m going to be ready on Day 1.”
Scott accuses Ramaswamy of being in business with CCP
Scott briefly shed his Mr. Nice Guy reputation to flame Ramaswamy for being “in business with the Chinese Communist Party.”
The attack line, a reference to Ramaswamy’s former career as an entrepreneur, fulfilled a promise from Scott’s campaign that the South Carolina senator would be more aggressive after being overshadowed in the first debate.
Ramaswamy responded angrily, leading to a long stretch of crosstalk that the moderators struggled to rein in.
“When you all speak at the same time, no can understand you,” said Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.
Some of DeSantis’ ideas for China match Biden’s actions
DeSantis says the United States needs a “totally new approach to China.”
Part of what he calls for Biden is already doing. That includes strengthening U.S. hard power in the Indo-Pacific. DeSantis does call for “decoupling” the U.S. economy from China.
Biden is trying to wean the U.S. supply chain off China but denies seeking to decouple the two economies.
Burgum not waiting for his turn
Burgum is looking for more talking time — and he’s not being shy about it.
The North Dakota governor interjected a couple of times in the first 20 minutes of Wednesday night’s debate, talking over moderators and his fellow hopefuls, in one response interjecting, “Nobody answered the question” after others were asked about child care.
“We will get you some questions,” said moderator Dana Perino. “But you will have to let us move on.”
There have already been several moments where the moderators struggled to get candidates to stop talking among themselves and focus on the question at hand.
Candidates agree US economic future should be powered by gas
GOP presidential candidates started their second debate by mostly agreeing that the U.S. economic future should be powered by gasoline.
In lockstep, they all demonized the Biden administration’s support for electric vehicles. It’s a shift that is meant to limit the damages of climate change, but presidential candidates say it would hurt the U.S. auto sector and enrich China. The unanimity reflected the challenge candidates face to stand out on policy issues.
“Joe Biden’s Green New Deal agenda is good for Beijing and bad for Detroit,” Pence said.
Burgum said unionized autoworkers are striking because their employers “need two-thirds less workers to build an electric car.”
Ramaswamy went to his refrain that he would “unlock American energy, drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear energy.”
DeSantis takes early swing at Trump in debate
After taking criticism for going soft on Trump, DeSantis took a swing at him early in the debate.
“And you know who is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,” DeSantis said, blasting the former president for skipping the debate.
The criticism came shortly after a similar attack from Christie, who said Trump “hides behind the walls of his golf clubs” instead of answering questions.
DeSantis’ swipe at Trump marks a definite shift for the Florida governor, who largely avoided pointed criticism of the former president in the first debate.
Scott angling to be more of the conversation
Scott didn’t have much talking time during the first GOP debate, but he started to make up for that as soon as Wednesday night’s gathering got underway.
The first question went to Scott, who caught criticism for saying “you strike, you’re fired” about the United Auto Workers dispute. Scott quipped that Biden “should not be on the picket line, he should be on the southern border,” turning the rest of his answer to concerns about border security.
Scott also was asked to respond after Pence said Biden “belongs on the unemployment line,” saying he disagreed with Scott.
“There’s no doubt that Joe Biden needs to be fired,” Scott said. “That’s why I’m running for president.”
Republicans turn questions about autoworkers strike into Biden attack
The debate started with questions about the United Auto Workers strike, but the Republicans kept the focus squarely on Biden.
“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border,” said Scott, who got the first question.
Next up was Ramaswamy, who said the workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.,” because “that’s really where the protest needs to be.”
Pence took a swing at it next. “Joe Biden doesn’t belong on the picket line. He belongs on the unemployment line.”
Trump’s mug shot appears in debate intro
Trump skipped the Fox Business-Univision debate but appeared briefly in its introduction – or at least his mug shot did.
The debate at the Reagan library started with a montage of the former president followed by clips of the seven candidates who are appearing on stage.
Trump’s mug shot — from one of the criminal cases against him, filed in Georgia — flashed on screen as a voiceover questioned: Would Reagan even recognize the country today?
Trump calls his rivals ‘the job candidates’
As his rivals got ready to debate Wednesday night, Trump was railing against electric cars in a speech in Michigan.
Trump, speaking at a non-union manufacturing plant outside out of Detroit, briefly referenced the proceedings about to begin in California.
“We’re competing with the job candidates,” he said of his rivals. “They’re all job candidates, they want to be in the — they’ll do anything. Secretary of something. They even say VP, does anybody see any VP in the group? I don’t think so.”
And we’re off!
The second Republican presidential debate is underway in California.
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 is airing 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.
Biden zeroed in on GOP candidate missing from debate
Seven candidates will be on stage for the second Republican primary debate, but Biden is keeping his focus on the one who isn’t there — Trump.
It’s a logical choice when the former president is the runaway favorite for his party’s 2024 nomination.
“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy,” Biden said Tuesday night at a California fundraiser.
Biden plans to deliver his fourth in a series of presidential addresses about the state of democracy during a visit to Arizona on Thursday.
Reagan audience expected to be more subdued
Wednesday’s debate is likely to be a less raucous affair than the first GOP debate in Milwaukee — at least as far as the audience is concerned.
In August, candidates debated in the Fiserv Forum, home to the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, before a live audience of thousands that was allowed to cheer and boo what was being said. (Christie was the target of some of the loudest booing, for his criticism of Trump).
Things got so lively that moderator Bret Baier had to ask the crowd to keep it down.
Tonight’s debate is at a far smaller venue. Air Force One Pavilion holds a maximum of 1,600 people, and a video posted online by the Reagan Foundation shows the seating area is even smaller. Those in attendance will be seated below the nose of Reagan’s retired Air Force One.
Here’s what AP reporters are watching for tonight
The first debate was dominated by Ramaswamy, who swung at everyone else on stage and was targeted in return. Will he seek the spotlight in the same way?
Haley had a comparatively strong showing last time. Does she become a target?
The pressure remains on DeSantis, who has sunk substantially in polls from his high point earlier this year. Will he be more aggressive?
The biggest question is whether anyone on the stage will be playing to win. So far the campaign has been all about jostling for second place while Trump hogs the spotlight. Will any of the candidates target the front-runner, or will they keep hanging back and hoping for a political miracle?
Taking their criticism to the skies
As Republicans take the stage, the Democratic National Committee is running counterprogramming around the debate site aiming to make its case that the GOP hopefuls are wrong for the White House.
DNC officials say they’re flying an aerial banner until the 9 p.m. start time above Ronald Reagan’s presidential library with the message “GOP 2024: A Race For The Extreme MAGA Base” — referring to a slogan used by Trump in his campaigns.
Party officials say there’s also a mobile billboard making a route around the debate site throughout the event. A video playing on a digital screen features a “2024 MAGA Cheat Sheet” on each of the hopefuls, with each Republican candidate’s photo and several bullet points on what the DNC calls their “extreme MAGA agendas,” like opposition to abortion and proposed changes to Social Security and Medicare.
Debate livestreaming partner Rumble platforms extremism
Many viewers who can’t watch Wednesday’s debate on TV will tune in on Rumble, the Republican National Committee’s exclusive online livestreaming partner.
The alternative video sharing platform has gained popularity with some conservatives for its hands-off approach to content moderation. But it also has been criticized for allowing — and at times promoting — far-right extremism, bigotry, election disinformation and conspiracy theories.
Ahead of the first GOP debate last month, the live feed for the GOP’s official pre-show on Rumble was overridden with racial slurs and bigoted comments. The episode was then hidden from public view. The RNC said it was taken down to direct users to the debate livestream and avoid confusing viewers with multiple videos.
Asked about the criticism against the platform, the RNC said it condemns “hate, bigotry and violence” but does not manage content or pages outside of its own.
Newsom dismisses the debate as ‘JV, XFL stuff’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate without Trump is little more than entertainment for political junkies given Trump’s commanding lead in the Republican primary.
“This is a sideshow, by any objective measure,” Newsom told the Associated Press. “You’ve got a guy who’s the de facto incumbent.” Trump indeed leads all other GOP contenders by at least 30 points in most national polls.
The debate, Newsom said, is “JV, XFL stuff.”
DeSantis will take literal center stage
DeSantis will be center stage again when candidates meet Wednesday for the second Republican presidential debate. He’ll be flanked by Ramaswamy and Haley.
The candidate placement on stage is based on candidate order in polls that meet standards set by the Republican National Committee, with higher performing candidates being closer to center stage.
Scott had hoped for a better position than the last debate and asked the RNC to change its rules so he would be closer to center. But the South Carolina senator is essentially in the same spot he was for last month’s debate. He will stand to Ramaswamy’s left.
The biggest loser in the reshuffling is Pence, who will stand at the far end of the stage. It’s a demotion for the former vice president, who stood next to DeSantis in August, and a sign of how he has struggled in the race.
Supporters and protesters await Trump at Michigan venue
As his Republican rivals make final preparations for their second primary debate, the contest’s front-runner is on his way to Michigan to speak to current and retired autoworkers in the midst of a strike.
“Heading to Michigan now. I LOVE, & WILL SAVE, THE AUTOWORKERS. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote on his social media site.
A smattering of protesters and supporters demonstrated outside the venue before Trump arrived. One group of supporters carried Trump flags and marched to the beat of marching band drums.
Anti-Trump protesters accused the former president of backing anti-union policies and chanted, “Racist! Go home!”
Trump signs dot entrance to Reagan library
In case Trump wasn’t already top of mind for tonight’s debate participants, the former president’s supporters have set up huge Trump signs at the entrance to the Reagan library’s long driveway.
They include a bus-sized blue “TRUMP 2024” banner, several smaller red Trump “SAVE AMERICA” flags and a large white sign that reads “TRUMP, Our Last HOPE For AMERICA & THE WORLD.” They are positioned at the beginning of Simi Valley’s Presidential Drive, which is the only way in and out of the Reagan library.
As of 4:30 p.m. ET, none of the other campaigns had signs posted.
AI Asa aims to take part in debate night conversation
He won’t be on the Simi Valley debate stage Wednesday night, but former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson — or an AI version of him, anyway — is looking to be part of the conversation.
Hutchinson’s campaign has rolled out askasa.us, where they say voters will be able to ask specific questions of the candidate. Hutchinson’s campaign says the interface has been programmed with his past public remarks, speeches and interviews to respond with his perspective on a variety of issues.
Hutchinson qualified for last month’s candidate debate debut but missed the markers set by the Republican National Committee for the matchup at Ronald Reagan’s presidential library.
