The large group of Republican presidential candidates will be in the spotlight tonight as they face their second national debate.
1.) When is the debate?
CNN will host two GOP debates on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The first debate for second-tier candidates begins at 6p.m. EDT. The main debate begins 8 p.m. EDT with the top-tier candidates. In addition to watching via the cable television news network, viewers can watch live via CNN’s online stream.
2.) Who will be participating in the debate?
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will join former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and former New York Gov. George Pataki at the earlier debate. The main debate will feature Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, John Kasich, Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina.
The lead moderator will be CNN’s Jake Tapper. CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash and radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt will support Tapper in moderating duties.
3.) What is the focus of the debate?
Foreign policy issues will be a primary focus of the CNN debate, but Tapper and the other moderators have worked to assemble a wide range of questions covering topics like the economy, national security, social issues and immigration. Those interested can use the hashtag #CNNDebate on Twitter to submit debate questions.
4.) What will Trump say?
While his lead has narrowed a bit, all eyes and ears will be on front runner Trump. His appearance at the FOX GOP debate in August ended in controversy after he later insulted the debate’s moderator, FOX News commentator Megyn Kelly. Political experts will be particularly interested in how Trump handles foreign policy and national security questions, as he has struggled to define his position on those issues, focusing instead on the economy and immigration.
5.) Who has the most to gain or lose?
Bush’s role as a viable presidential candidate is in jeopardy, according to some political pundits. While he has been successful in campaign fundraising, Bush is lingering in the single digits in national polls. Bush is expected to continue exhibiting a more assertive persona and more actively challenging Trump during the debate.
Carson has surprised many by slowly but steadily gaining on Trump in the polls. The neurosurgeon is a political outsider like Trump, but his soft-spoken demeanor is the opposite of Trump’s bluster. His performance Wednesday could help propel him into the lead in polls or bring his popularity surge to a halt.
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