(L-R) North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence pose on stage prior to the GOP FOX Business Presidential Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Cali., on Wednesday night. Photo by Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE
The second Republican primary debate is underway at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
The moderators set candidates up to take aim at President Joe Biden early, but instead they fired barbs at each other. The most frequently targeted were entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former President Donald Trump, who was not present. Advertisement
Unlike in the first debate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directly addressed the former president. As candidates discussed the ongoing United Auto Workers union strike, DeSantis said working-class Americans were struggling because of reckless federal spending, and he called on Trump and Biden to answer for it.
“Donald Trump is missing in action,” DeSantis said. “He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record. He added $7 trillion in debt.” Advertisement
Seven candidates are on stage for the second time in just over a month, facing questions from moderators Stuart Varney and Dana Perino of FOX, and Ilia Calderon of Univision. The debate is being aired on FOX Business, FOX News and Univision.
There couldn't be a better venue for the Second Republican Primary Debate than Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library!
Tune in this Wednesday at 9pm EST to watch! pic.twitter.com/mX50z6DWok— GOP (@GOP) September 25, 2023
DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Ramaswamy are participating.
Trump, who is widely seen as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, has again skipped the debate. Instead, he is speaking at an event at an automotive supplier in Detroit, where he indicated that he did not see a potential running mate on stage in Simi Valley.
Christie also took early opportunities to critique Trump’s term as president and his absence at yet another debate. Like DeSantis, he was critical of federal spending under Trump and his signature plan to build a wall at the southern border. Advertisement
“Trump failed on this as well. He built 52 miles of wall — and said Mexico would pay for it,” Christie said. “If they knew he was only going to build 52 miles they may have agreed to pay for it.”
Christie said he would sign an executive order that would send National Guard support to the southern border.
Ramaswamy made several comments during the first debate about his fellow candidates being “bought and paid for.” On Wednesday, Scott fired back, grilling Ramaswamy on doing business in China. The stage erupted into heavy crosstalk with DeSantis and Haley also chiming in.
Immigration remained the main topic for the first half of the debate, honing in on the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States. Perino noted that a majority of the fentanyl smuggled into the country is brought in by U.S. citizens.
DeSantis reiterated his plan to use the military to “go after the Mexican drug cartels.” He added that he would declare a national emergency for border security and treat drug cartels like foreign terrorists.
