North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is all-in.
Despite blowing his Achilles heel playing basketball, the conservative politician showed up in crutches to review the debate setup at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
The debate represents a clear opportunity for the eight Republican candidates attending to differentiate themselves and, if lightning strikes, begin mounting a real challenge to former President Donald Trump’s frontrunner status.
Fox News Channel is hosting the two-hour debate starting at 9 p.m. (EDT). It will simultaneously be broadcast on Fox Business Network, Fox Nation, foxnews.com and Rumble.
Scheduled to appear from left to right on the stage are former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Trump hopes to continue to suck all of the oxygen out of the theater by having a prerecorded interview with Tucker Carlson debut on X as soon as the debate goes live.
But what about the candidates that are there? Observers say they have to act soon if they’re going to seriously threaten Trump.
Here’s what to watch for…
Ron DeSantis
A report from a DeSantis allied super PAC predicts that the governor will be the primary target for his rivals during tonight’s debate. Therefore, he’s been advised to aggressively tout his conservative successes, particularly against opponents who don’t have a political record (like Vivek Ramaswamy).
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy is running as a millennial Trump. While his appeal has grown rapidly, controversial reports about his past and his nontraditional proposals (i.e., handing out guns to Taiwanese citizens to deter China) have garnered criticism from some.
More than anything, he’ll need to show that he can do the job of the president despite his youth.
Mike Pence
Mike Pence has recently sharpened his criticisms of Trump’s actions after losing the 2020 presidential election. While the GOP base has rallied around the former president following the indictments against him, Pence believes he can lay out to his fellow Republicans why Trump’s behavior makes him unfit for office.
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley has all the attributes of a frontrunner on paper. While universally acknowledged as a proficient debater, pundits say she’ll need a soundbite moment to grab the attention of the donor class to take her candidacy to the next level.
Six months after entering the race, she’ll need to take this earned media opportunity to show what makes her different.
Chris Christie
A former Trump ally, Chris Christie, doesn’t hide his true feelings about the 45th president. But without him present, it will be harder for the brash Christie to attempt to embarrass Trump.
Tim Scott
Tim Scott seems devoted to Reagan’s 11th Commandment: Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican. That outdated approach needs to change if he’s to break through with grassroots activists who want a fighter.
Asa Hutchinson
Like Christie, Asa Hutchinson was a former U.S. attorney. He’ll likely use tonight to legitimize the prosecutions against Trump. Of course, this isn’t a general election debate, and it’s unlikely Republican primary voters would be receptive to his arguments.
Doug Burgum
Lastly, we return to Doug Burgum. Having entered the race in June and being the chief executive of a state with less than 800,000 people, Burgum is a relative unknown, which makes his appearance on tonight’s stage all the more critical. He may gain traction if he can explain why his background as a successful tech entrepreneur and politician is a winning combination.
READ NEXT: Popular Governor Still Won’t Rule Out White House Run
Debate winners:
Desantis
Scott
Dont call up next debate:
Christie Pence Haley Asa
Wary of Vivek