Seven Republican Candidates to Compete in Second Primary Debate at Reagan Presidential Library Without Former President Trump

Seven Republican candidates vying for the 2024 presidential nomination will take the stage Wednesday night at the Reagan Presidential Library in California for the second primary debate. The debate will be held without former President Donald Trump, who leads the Republican primary field comfortably according to a CBS News poll released Tuesday.

Trump will instead be speaking in Detroit, where Big Three union auto workers are on strike. The debate will be a chance for the remaining candidates to make their case to Republican voters and demonstrate their commitment to the Reagan vision of the Republican Party.

The seven candidates participating in the debate are former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.

The debate will be moderated by CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, Major Garrett, and Nancy Cordes. It will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service.

The debate will be an opportunity for the candidates to make their case to Republican voters and demonstrate their commitment to the Reagan vision of the Republican Party. It will also be a chance for the candidates to distinguish themselves from each other and show why they are the best choice for the Republican nomination in 2024.