The first Republican primary debate is set to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin tonight at 9 p.m. eastern, 8 p.m. central time.
Eight candidates are set to take the stage in an effort to gain momentum with voters and will answer questions presented by Fox News anchors Martha MacCallum, Bret Baier and Young America's Foundation students. Townhall will have full coverage and a live blog.
WATCH: Fox News unveils tonight’s GOP debate stage in Milwaukee with hosts @BretBaier and @marthamaccallum pic.twitter.com/LTUqWEjEu9
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President Donald Trump, the current front runner by 40 points, will not attend but has declared victory despite his planned absence.
“President Trump has already won this evening’s debate because everything is going to be about him. Only President Trump has the policy ideas, the fortitude, and the polling to go head-to-head with Crooked Joe Biden in the general election. Republican voters recognize this, hence President Trump’s 62-16 lead in the GOP primary," Trump Campaign Senior Advisor Chris LaCivita released in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “You should also expect the Fox hosts to show an unnatural obsession with President Trump tonight, asking other Republican candidates over and over to react to President Trump’s policy positions. In fact, we will be tallying the number of times President Trump’s name is brought up, and his total ‘speaking time,’ even though he is not in attendance."
LaCivta continued by leaning into President Trump's record in the White House.
“When the other candidates do get a chance to speak, they will be a faint echo, or maybe even a copycat, of President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda. That’s because President Trump’s first four years in office were the most consequential - and led to the best economy - in American history. Nobody at tonight’s gathering can match the big ideas and bold policy agenda President Trump has already laid out in the run-up to 2024, including details on how he will reduce inflation, unleash American energy, seal the Border and destroy the drug cartels, clean up our crime-ridden cities, and stop the killing in Ukraine," he said. “In fact, tonight’s Republican undercard event really shouldn’t even be called a debate, but rather an audition to be a part of President Trump’s team in his second term.”
Trump's rivals have chided him for refusing to show up while also accusing him of taking Republican voters for granted.