On Wednesday evening when the cameras go live from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the first GOP primary debate, we now know who will be standing at center stage for the program: entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The official stage lineup was released by the Republican National Committee on Tuesday afternoon following the official announcement Monday night of the eight candidates who had met the party's criteria to participate and agreed to appear. As was previously explained by the RNC, the stage order corresponds to polling performance with the top candidates getting center placement.
Debate host Fox News reported how the rest of the lineup will fall:
Standing alongside DeSantis and Ramaswamy at the debate – a Fox News-hosted showdown in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – will be former Vice President Mike Pence and former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will stand in the number five and six positions.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will stand on the wings of the debate stage.
In a statement Monday day, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the party is "excited to showcase our diverse candidate field and the conservative vision to beat Joe Biden on the debate stage Wednesday night" and thanked "debate committee Chairman Dave Bossie and Co-Chair Anne Hathaway and our debate partners, Fox News, Young America’s Foundation, and Rumble for their work to kick off the primary process that will put our Party and eventual nominee in the best position to take back the White House next fall."
Trump, the frontrunner in the polls by more than 40 points according to the current Real Clear Politics average, announced earlier that he would skip Wednesday's debate. On his Truth Social platform Tuesday evening, Trump said "I WILL BE VERY BUSY TOMORROW NIGHT - ENJOY!!!"
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