What to expect from tonight’s GOP debate
Republican presidential candidates ranking lower in the polls are hopeful that the third time really is the charm in Wednesday's two-hour GOP debate.
Titled "Your Money, Your Vote," the third debate is expected to steer away from the infamous Donald Trump — Carly Fiorina rivarly and instead, spur a hearty conversation focused on economy and policy.
Power players
With the exception of one candidate, the participants duking it out in the third Republican presidential debate will mirror that of the second debate.
Missing from the pack will be Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker, who was once a top contender for the Republican nomination, abruptly pulled out of the presidential race five days after the second debate in September.
With that in mind, the line-up of presidential hopefuls taking the stage for tonight's GOP debate is comprised of:
- Jeb Bush, former Florida governor
- Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon
- Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey
- Ted Cruz, senator from Texas
- Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard
- Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas
- John Kasich, governor of Ohio
- Rand Paul, senator from Kentucky
- Marco Rubio, senator from Florida
- Donald Trump, real estate mogul
Key issues
According to CNBC, the candidates will tackle key issues stemming from job growth, technology, retirement and the health of our national economy. With Donald Trump and Ben Carson continuing to dominate the polls, tonight's debate is imperative for lesser-known candidates.
With voters heading to the polls for the first time in a little more than three months, candidates who are staying stagnant in the polls — Bush, Huckabee, Christie — are under immense pressure to have a solid performance and prove they're well-versed in these crucial topics.
As a result, if they can expose Trump and Carson's lack of knowledge of the intricacies of policy, we could see a shake up in the race for the party's nomination, according to Reuters.
Who will Trump attack?
During the first Republican debate, moderator and Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly was on the receiving end of Donald Trump's remarks.
However, with Kelly not present for the second debate, Trump channeled his energy towards former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. A good majority of the debate was devoted to the two discussing their business portfolios.
With Ben Carson emerging as the new front-runner in the GOP race — the first person to dethrone Trump in months — it's likely Trump will focus his attention on slamming the retired neurosurgeon.
Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitiesmith
