Republican Presidential hopefuls are back on the debate stage this week for the third debate. With only five candidates on stage, everyone will be vying to prove that they still deserve to be in the race.
Former President Donald Trump will once again be sitting the debate out, begging the question of whether a debate without the frontrunner is meaningless.
For the candidates who are showing up in Miami for the debate on Wednesday, this is their second to last chance to appeal to voters ahead of the incredibly influential Iowa Caucus in January. And for Senator Tim Scott, who has made it very clear that Iowa could be his last stand, this debate is make or break.
Who Will Be On Stage?
Only five candidates will be on stage in Miami on Wednesday night. Unlike previous debates, which have included between seven to eight candidates, this one feels cozier.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott will be at the debate.
Noticeably absent from that list, of course, is Donald Trump. According to Five Thirty-Eight, Trump is averaging around 55% of the vote in polls. His next closest competition is DeSantis, who is nowhere near his rival. He’s averaging at roughly 14%. Everyone else is below double-digits in the polls.
The former President will be holding a rally nearby in a predominantly Latino city in Miami-Dade County, Hialeah, which does seem like a bit of an obvious screw you to debate if you ask us.
Is This Tim Scott’s Last Stand?
We can’t talk about this debate without talking about Senator Tim Scott. In an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Sen. Scott said that it was “Iowa or bust” for his campaign.
The Iowa caucus is in January, and this debate will be one of his last chances to prove to voters that he can stand out against his rivals. Scott is currently in last place among the other candidates on the debate stage on Wednesday nationally. But he’s in fourth place in Iowa. Scott says he is confident that he will land in the top two in Iowa.
Scott struggled to make an impression during his first debate. And while he had a better performance in the second debate, he needs to catch people’s attention this time around, or it could be all over for him.
Where Can You Watch?
The third Republican debate will air live at 8 p.m. ET on NBC’s streaming and digital platforms. And if you don’t mind racist advertisements, including ads for pro-Hitler films, you can also watch on Rumble TV, the Republican National Committee’s streaming partner for the Republican debates.