[1/2] Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis listens to a question from the audience at a campaign town hall meeting in Newport, New Hampshire, U.S., August 19, 2023.
In Trump's absence, candidates are expected to launch a fusillade of attacks on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as competitors try to displace him as Trump's top challenger, according to strategists and aides to rival campaigns.
DeSantis is seen as vulnerable after a summer slide in the polls, which have left him languishing more than 30 points behind Trump in the race.
"He's going to be a punching bag," said Brian Darling, a Republican strategist and former senior aide to U.S.
Still, Trump's no-show doesn't mean he won't be a major presence in the debate, which kicks off at the Fiserv Forum at 9 p.m.
Persons:
Ron DeSantis, Brian Snyder, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Tucker Carlson, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Brian Darling, Rand Paul, Martha MacCallum, Bret Baier, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Jeanette Hoffman, He's, Hoffman, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Doug Burgum, Hutchinson, Pence, Ramaswamy, Christie, Christopher Wlezien, Wlezien, Nathan Layne, Gram Slattery, Susan Heavey, Ross Colvin, Deepa Babington, Nick Zieminski
Organizations:
Republican, Florida, REUTERS, Democratic, Fox News, Florida Governor, Trump, Former New Jersey, Former Arkansas, U.S . Capitol, North Dakota, Reuters, University of Texas, Austin, Thomson
Locations:
Newport , New Hampshire, U.S, Milwaukee, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, Former, Christie