MILWAUKEE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The first Republican presidential debate in the 2024 race for the White House takes place this Wednesday in Milwaukee. Eight candidates looking to challenge front front-runner Donald Trump will take the debate stage. The big question remains whether Trump will be there too. Last night on social media Trump announced that he would be a ‘no show’, citing his commanding lead in the polls and his track record as President from 2017 to 2020.
Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum will kick off the presidential primary debate season. Nine candidates in all have qualified to be onstage when it comes to the required polling and fundraising.
The GOP frontrunner, according to various polls, is former President Donald Trump. If he shows up that will put him center stage flanked by his closest polling challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Others filling out the field of Republican hopefuls are South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, political outsider Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced Sunday he has met the qualifications needed to take part in the debate. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, and businessman Perry Johnson have also indicated they qualify to take part, while the Republican National Committee is reviewing whether they meet the criteria in polling and donations.
Fox News Channel anchors will moderate the debate and have made it clear candidates will be asked to address the elephant in the room — that being the criminal charges and four indictments facing Trump. Other issues expected to be brought up — abortion, foreign policy and the economy.
This past week President Joe Biden set the stage for addressing the economy by visiting Milwaukee to promote his economic successes and agenda.
As for the debate itself, there will be no opening statements, but candidates will be allowed 45 seconds for closing remarks. During the debate they’ll have one minute to answer questions, and 30 seconds for follow-ups.
The candidates’ primary goal in this first debate will be to distinguish themselves from the others and particularly front-runner Trump. A boost in this first primary debate may be needed to help propel each of them in the polls. Higher poll numbers and donor contributions may be needed for some to qualify for future debates.
Trump is the only candidate of the bunch who appeared in Milwaukee’s last GOP debate in November 2015. He would go on to win the Republican nomination and the general election in 2016. But his participation in this year’s debate is up in the air. He has indicated he will skip the debate and he has refused so far to sign a loyalty pledge promising to support the ultimate GOP candidate, which is required to take the stage. And while he has said he’s inclined not to take part; he could always change his mind.
The one Republican candidate who ultimately rises above the others in this race will be back in Milwaukee next summer to accept the party’s nomination when the Republican National Convention 2024 takes place at Fiserv Forum July 15-18.
