Nikki Haley

Several candidates dared to criticize the absent Trump, but none stood out enough to narrow his lead in the polls

The seven candidates intensified their attacks against the former president, who is leading the race for the 2024 nomination by more than 40 points

Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor, failed to qualify for Wednesday’s event at California’s Reagan Library, which will include just seven candidates

To qualify for the second debate, candidates needed at least 3% support in two national polls or 3% in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states

Supporters say she has staked out a consistent approach from her earliest days in politics, challenging fellow Republicans to be pragmatic in their pursuit of a deeply conservative agenda

The charismatic 38-year-old businessman was met Friday by hundreds of GOP activists in small central cities near Des Moines

There long has been an isolationist strain in the United States, particularly in the Republican Party, but rarely has it been shared by so many candidates for president

The governor of Florida missed the opportunity to close the gap with the former president, whose absence loomed large over the event

It took more than an hour for moderators to ask about Trump’s legal battles, a discussion previewed with a video of the Atlanta jail where he will surrender on charges Thursday

DeSantis tries to take advantage of this first head-to-head to close the gap with the former president, while the rest of the pack hoped to stand out

The former president broadcasted a conversation with the controversial presenter Tucker Carlson through social networks, just before the start of the first GOP primary debate

In addition to Trump, eight candidates have met the donor and polling qualifications set by the party to decide who can take part in the event

Rivals of the former U.S. president face off in the first debate as the possibility of changing the dynamics of the campaign become more and more remote

Haley, the state’s first Asian American governor, and Scott, the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction, are both waiting for their breakthrough campaign moment that could come during the first debate

Republicans chose Milwaukee for the first debate and for the national convention in just 11 months largely because of Wisconsin’s well-earned status as a swing state

Trump had been discussing a number of debate counterprogramming options, including sitting for an interview with ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson

Trump dominates the primary polls and media attention even as he faces multiple criminal indictments for alleged actions before, during and after his presidency

Former Vice President Mike Pence is hosting mock debate sessions with someone playing the part of the former president. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has participated in weekly sessions with an eye toward drawing clear contrasts with Trump

Republican strategists have warned against attacking Trump directly, arguing it tends to anger voters who have supported him and see the charges he faces as political persecution

Candidates seeking to get to the second debate will need at least 3% in two national polls or will need 3% in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states

To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee

Super Tuesday is when the largest number of delegates, which candidates win state-by-state, are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle

The date is earlier by several weeks than the past three caucuses, though not as early as 2008, when they were held just three days into the new year

The large Republican 2024 presidential field has spent a lot of time over the last few months in Iowa, the leadoff GOP caucus state

The heavily Republican area is a popular one for GOP hopefuls as they aim to attract support for South Carolina’s first-in-the-South presidential primary

More than a dozen candidates are seeking the nomination, yet Nikki Haley is the only woman among the bunch