Analysis | Trump absent for third Republican presidential primaries debate; candidates fight to be considered for the alternative option
Republican candidates debate popular party issues and discuss Trump’s absence. Photo collage by EMILY PARIS, Photo Editor
With less than one year till the presidential election, five Republican candidates debated current issues — with former president and leading candidate Donald Trump noticeably absent.
At the third Republican primary debate, which took place on Nov. 8 in Miami, candidates focused on issues surrounding foreign relations and the economy. They were also quick to point out flaws in other candidates’ policies; including Trump, who is polling the majority of Republican votes but did not attend the debate. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails Trump by nearly 50 points according to RealClearPolitics, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who continued their longtime feud on the stage.
Trump, who’s leading in the polls at 62 points, was not present for the event. The moderators’ first question asked candidates why they’d be a better choice for the Republican nomination than Trump.
For the most part, the candidates agreed that they believed Trump was the right choice at the time of his first term, but all stated that he should not be the nominee now.
DeSantis was also quick to point out that his opponent wasn’t there to give explanations on his recent legal controversies.
“(Trump) owes it to you to be on this stage and explain why he should get another chance,” DeSantis said during the debate.
Sophomore political science major Charlie Sisk, who is currently the president of Chapman Republicans, said that it was unnecessary for Trump to attend the debate when the other candidates are currently falling far behind him.
“He would be up on stage with five people who are just gonna throw insults at him all night who aren’t even polling close to his numbers,” Sisk told The Panther.
He also claimed that when DeSantis was leading a more successful campaign, Trump would have been more inclined to defend himself at the event.
“I’m sure if he had real competition, if DeSantis was still polling at 40-something percent of Republican votes, if he actually had a shot at beating him, of course, he would show up,” Sisk continued. “But, why would anybody go to a place where he’s gonna get yelled at by people who aren’t even gonna compete with him?”
DeSantis was following Trump closely in polling at the start of this year, before his polls started to plummet by nearly 20 points.
Trump’s presidential campaign has mostly consisted of him organizing his own events and making trips around the country.
“(Trump’s) campaign so far has been going to sporting events (and) meeting a lot of Americans across the country,” Sisk said. “He’s trying to get in touch with the younger audience, going into fraternities (and) colleges around the nation and just showing up at events. And everyone loves it.”
During the debate, candidates were also asked about what their plan would be for America’s involvement with the Israel-Hamas war, as the event was co-sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition.
All of the candidates stated that they would tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get rid of the presence of Hamas.
DeSantis said that he had sent resources to bring 700 American hostages back to Florida. Haley cited her time as a U.N. Ambassador, saying that she had told Netanyahu to “finish (Hamas).”
Ramaswamy ended his response to this topic with a dig directed at his opponent Haley, the only female Republican candidate: “Do you want Dick Cheney in three-inch heels?”
Haley responded with, “They’re five-inch heels, and I don’t wear them unless I can run in them.”
Later, she told Ramaswamy to “leave (her) daughter out of (his) voice,” after he reprimanded Haley for her daughter’s use of the social media app TikTok, which the candidates deemed a spy device by the Chinese government.
The discussion continued on the subject of foreign affairs, pivoting to the war in Ukraine. Ramaswamy called for less funding to Ukraine, while Haley emphasized aiding countries like Ukraine and Israel to combat influences from Russia, Iran and China.
DeSantis and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who has since dropped out of the race, spoke instead about defending the Mexico border.
While discussing the topic of the economy and social security age, Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stated that they would be willing to increase the national retirement age for newer generations. However, they did not specify at what age.
“I think unless something insane happens with Trump, I don’t think there will be any real competition,” Sisk said. “It’s more of a debate for who’s gonna be his vice president.”
“I think unless something insane happens with Trump, I don’t think there will be any real competition. It’s more of a debate for who’s gonna be his vice president.”
The fourth Republican primary debate is scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 6, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It can be viewed live on NewsNation’s website.
