2nd GOP debate LIVE Updates: ‘Transgenderism’ a mental health issue, will ban castration, says Ramaswamy

Republican presidential candidates blamed Donald Trump and Democrats for the deficit spending that’s driving the threat of a government shutdown, striking a rare moment of agreement in the second debate of the 2024 campaign.

“The people in Washington are shutting down the American Dream with their reckless behavior. They borrowed. They printed. They spent. And now you’re paying more for everything,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is polling in second place but 42 points behind Trump.

“Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have,” DeSantis said at the event in Simi Valley, California.

As his Republican rivals sparred onstage in California at their second primary debate, Donald Trump was in battleground Michigan Wednesday night working to win over blue-collar voters by lambasting President Joe Biden and his push for electric cars in the midst of an autoworkers’ strike.

“I will not allow under any circumstances the American automobile industry to die,” Trump said at Drake Enterprises, a non-unionized auto parts supplier in Clinton Township, about a half-hour outside Detroit.

The Republican front-runner’s trip came a day after Biden became the first sitting president in U.S. history to walk a picket line as he joined United Auto Workers in Detroit. The dueling appearances had the feel of the opening salvo of the 2024 general election, which increasingly looks like a rematch between Trump and Biden, even though primary voting won’t begin until next year.

Seven Republican presidential hopefuls gathered at the Reagan Library in California on Wednesday for the second of the party’s primary debates. The contest’s dominant front-runner — former President Donald Trump — skipped the event again.

With less than four months until the Iowa caucuses officially jumpstart the GOP nomination process, the pressure is building on Trump’s rivals to show they can emerge as a genuine alternative.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had an aggressive start, using his first answer to criticize Trump for skipping the debate and for adding to the national debt while serving as president.

“Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be here on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record,” DeSantis said.

Republican candidates vowed to crack down on crime and close the southern US border as they assailed GOP frontrunner Donald Trump for skipping the party’s presidential second debate.

“He said he was gonna build a wall across the whole border, he got 52 miles,” said former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at the second GOP presidential debate from the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

Trump vowed to build a wall across the US-Mexico border but failed to accomplish that in office. At Wednesday’s debate, his rivals for the nomination seized on that failure and blamed President Joe Biden for a migration crisis that has seen crossings across the southern border surge and which polls show is a prominent concern for Republican voters.

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Warning about the threats she perceived are posed by China is key to Haley’s stump, and it’s on full display in the debate.

Several times, Haley has pivoted her part in the conversation by noting that some U.S. supplies of amoxicillin come from China. Several times, she has pointed to Ramaswamy’s ties to the country, from business deals to his presence on TikTok, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.

Haley also went after Trump’s China policy, saying that she feels the former president was too focused on the U.S.-China trade relationship and did too little about possible threats from the country.

For a moment, it was Haley vs. Ramaswamy, round two.

As they did in last month’s debut debate, Haley and Ramaswamy had a split-screen sparring back-and-forth in which Haley went after the political newcomer for inexperience and, she alleged, dangerous ideas, reports AP.

Asked about his recent conversation with a TikTok influencer, Ramaswamy defended his use of the platform.

“I’m the new guy here, and so I know I have to earn your trust,” Ramaswamy said. “I’m here to tell you, no, I don’t know at all. I will listen.” Interjecting by calling TikTok “dangerous,” Haley went on to address Ramaswamy directly — and personally.

“Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley said. “We can’t trust you.”

Ramaswamy responded by saying that “I think we would be better served as a Republican Party if we’re not sitting here hurling personal insults,” before the moderators moved on to another topic.

The debate is getting chaotic at times, with candidates shouting over one another and the moderators scolding them for not waiting their turns, reports AP.

At one point, moderator Dana Perino warned Burgum, who was trying to interrupt the questioning, that they would have to cut off his microphone if he didn’t stop interjecting. “I don’t want to do that,” she said, pleadingly “I don’t.”

Moderators also told candidates multiple times that the cross-talking meant they would get fewer questions.

The topic of education also led to the issue of teaching about racism in public schools. Under DeSantis, Florida approved a controversial curriculum that suggests some enslaved people learned useful skills while they were in bondage, reports AP.

Scott, the only Black candidate on stage Wednesday night, reiterated his criticism of the curriculum under DeSantis by saying, “There is not a redeeming quality in slavery.”

Candidates have devoted significant time to discussing the border but said nothing significantly new. Their policy prescriptions were largely in line with each other and with Trump, who made it a signature issue, reports AP.

Pence, ignoring a question about what he would do to protect immigrants who came to the country as young children, spoke about a Trump-era policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings and cracking down on asylum. Ramaswamy spoke about repealing a constitutional right to birthright citizenship, a position that Trump has entertained.

Candidates spoke as if the influx of asylum-seekers began under Biden’s watch, but it began years earlier. By 2017, the United States became the world’s most popular destination for asylum-seekers, a position it has held ever since, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

The debate’s more than halfway done, but there has been no mention so far of the big political issue that is threatening a government shutdown as soon as this weekend — funding for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, reports AP.

Much discussion in the candidates’ first debate on Ukraine funding.

Former President Donald Trump attacked the Biden administration’s push for electric vehicles in a bid to woo blue-collar voters in the battleground state of Michigan, saying it will lead to the “assassination” of the automobile industry and lost jobs to China.

Trump spoke while his Republican rivals were participating in the second presidential debate in California that he skipped because of his lead in national polls. It was also a gambit to peel off union support for President Joe Biden in Michigan, where members of the striking United Auto Workers are worried about job security in the transition to EVs.

“You can be loyal to American labor or you can be loyal to the environmental lunatics. But you can’t really be loyal to both, it’s one or the other,” Trump told an invitation-only crowd of a few hundred people on the shop floor of Drake Enterprises, a nonunion supplier of parts including gear shift levers and transmission components.

He’s the only GOP presidential candidate on TikTok, but Ramaswamy is talking about teens staying away from “addictive social media,” reports AP.

In a question about security, Ramaswamy pivoted to a discussion of border security, talking about teens turning to social media like Snapchat to procure pharmaceuticals.

“If you’re 16 years old or under, you should not be using an addictive social media product, period,” he said.

Ramaswamy, who at 38 is the youngest candidate on stage, has referred to TikTok as “digital fentanyl” but earlier this month joined the platform, with his campaign saying he was angling to appeal to younger voters.

The seven Republicans on stage at their party’s second 2024 presidential primary debate aimed on Wednesday to convince voters they could be a viable alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump, who skipped the event.

It took more than 15 minutes for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to speak, but when he did, he unloaded on former President Trump in a way he has not before.

He said Trump, who was speaking to a crowd of auto workers in Detroit on Wednesday instead of joining the debate, should have been on the stage with his primary rivals.

“Donald Trump is missing an action. He should be on the stage tonight,” DeSantis said. “He owes it to you to defend his record where they added 7.8 trillion to the debt. That set the stage for the inflation that we have now.”

Ramaswamy’s argument about sealing the border with a wall to stop fentanyl from coming in ignores the fact that the vast majority of fentanyl goes through official land crossings, much of it by U.S. citizens. A wall will do nothing to stop that, reports AP.

Fentanyl seizures occurred predominantly at official land crossings, where commuters and visitors smuggle drugs on their bodies or in their vehicles. From September through August, 11.4 tons of the 12.8 tons of fentanyl seized at the border Mexico were discovered at land crossings, while the remaining 1.4 tons were in between border crossings, where people enter the country illegally.

Christie has a new name for Trump — Donald Duck.

A former ally who broke with Trump over his election denial, Christie awarded the moniker to the absent Republican front-runner for skipping the debate, reports AP.

Speaking into the camera, Christie said, “I know you’re watching” because “you can’t help yourself.” And he accused Trump of being absent because “you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record.”

“No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re going to call you Donald Duck.”

Mike Pence is using his time onstage to remind viewers he’s a White House alumnus. Twice asked a question about working to protect immigrants from deportation if they came with their parents as young children, Pence ignored it and emphasized his resume instead, reports AP.

The former vice president recalled how during the Trump administration, he had negotiated the policy to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico for court hearings in the US.

Donald Trump’s rivals were quick to lay into him during the second presidential debate on Wednesday, ripping the former president for skipping the event as they sought to blunt the momentum that has seen him build a commanding early lead in the Republican primary, reports AP.

“He should be on this stage tonight,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was at center stage despite recent struggles to emerge as the field’s top Trump alternative. “He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt. That set the stage for the inflation we have now.”

Seven GOP candidates squared off at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California for an event hosted by Fox Business Network. Trump was in Michigan, delivering a prime-time speech that continued through the start of the debate, attempting to capitalize on the Auto Workers Union strike and trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a key state that could help decide the general election.

Scott briefly shed his Mr. Nice Guy reputation to flame Ramaswamy for being “in business with the Chinese Communist Party.”

The attack line, a reference to Ramaswamy’s former career as an entrepreneur, fulfilled a promise from Scott’s campaign that the South Carolina senator would be more aggressive after being overshadowed in the first debate.

Ramaswamy responded angrily, leading to a long stretch of crosstalk that the moderators struggled to rein in.

DeSantis says the United States needs a “totally new approach to China.”

Part of what he calls for Biden is already doing. That includes strengthening US hard power in the Indo-Pacific. DeSantis does call for “decoupling” the US economy from China.

GOP presidential candidates started their second debate by mostly agreeing that the US economic future should be powered by gasoline, reports AP.

In lockstep, they all demonized the Biden administration’s support for electric vehicles. It’s a shift that is meant to limit the damages of climate change, but presidential candidates say it would hurt the US auto sector and enrich China. The unanimity reflected the challenge candidates face to stand out on policy issues.

“Joe Biden’s Green New Deal agenda is good for Beijing and bad for Detroit,” Pence said.

After taking criticism for going soft on Trump, DeSantis took a swing at him early in the debate, reports AP.

“And you know who is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,” DeSantis said, blasting the former president for skipping the debate.

The criticism came shortly after a similar attack from Christie, who said Trump “hides behind the walls of his golf clubs” instead of answering questions

The debate started with questions about the United Auto Workers strike, but the Republicans kept the focus squarely on Biden.

“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border,” said Scott, who got the first question.

Next up was Ramaswamy, who said the workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.,” because “that’s really where the protest needs to be.”

The candidates on stage are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

The debate at the Reagan library started with a montage of the former president followed by clips of the seven candidates who are appearing on stage, reported AP.

Trump’s mug shot — from one of the criminal cases against him, filed in Georgia — flashed on screen as a voiceover questioned: Would Reagan even recognize the country today?

As his rivals got ready to debate Wednesday night, Trump was railing against electric cars in a speech in Michigan.

Trump, speaking at a non-union manufacturing plant outside out of Detroit, briefly referenced the proceedings about to begin in California, reports AP.

“We’re competing with the job candidates,” he said of his rivals. “They’re all job candidates, they want to be in the — they’ll do anything. Secretary of something. They even say VP, does anybody see any VP in the group? I don’t think so.”

The second Republican presidential debate is underway in California.

It’s being moderated by Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney and Fox News Channel host Dana Perino, as well as Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.

The event is airing on Fox News Channel and Fox Business, as well as on the network’s website and other streaming and digital platforms. There’s also a Spanish-language feed airing on Univision.

In Trump’s absence all eyes will be on key figures such as businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and former Vice President Mike Pence, who are expected to deliver passionate performances that previously bolstered their visibility and polling numbers. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott will also have a chance at redemption following their relatively lackluster showings in last month’s debate in Milwaukee. Read more

President Joe Biden raised campaign cash in San Francisco on Wednesday while seven Republican presidential hopefuls prepared to hold a debate down the coast in Simi Valley. Biden isn’t paying them much attention because he’s already zeroing in on Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner who won’t be on the stage, reports AP.

Biden has been increasingly calling out Trump by name and referring to him as his “likely opponent” in 2024, signaling a likely rematch from four years earlier and warning of what the Democratic incumbent sees as major dangers to the nation if he is not reelected.

”Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy,” Biden said Tuesday night during a California fundraiser, referring to a Trump campaign slogan, as he skipped entirely over Trump’s GOP rivals.

The debate comes at a critical moment in the GOP campaign, with less than four months before the Iowa caucuses formally launch the presidential nomination process. For now, Trump is dominating the field, even as he faces a range of vulnerabilities, including four criminal indictments that raise the prospect of decades in prison.

His rivals are running out of time to dent his lead, which is building a sense of urgency among some to more directly take on the former president before an audience of millions. The first debate was dominated by Ramaswamy, who swung at everyone else on stage and was targeted in return. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, drew larger crowds and new interest after her first debate performance.

Republicans are meeting for their second presidential debate on Wednesday as Donald Trump’s top rivals seek to blunt the momentum of the former president, who is so confident of cruising through the party’s primary that he again won’t share a stage with them, reports AP.

Seven GOP candidates will be at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for an event hosted by Fox Business Network. Trump will be in Michigan, delivering a prime-time speech attempting to capitalize on the Auto Workers Union strike and trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a key state for the general election.

The debate comes at a critical moment in the GOP campaign, with less than four months before the Iowa caucuses formally launch the presidential nomination process. For now, Trump is dominating the field, even as he faces a range of vulnerabilities, including four criminal indictments that raise the prospect of decades in prison.

The candidates on stage will be Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Virginia Republicans stepped up their criticism this week of the rhetoric being used by their Democratic opponents in abortion-focused messaging in this year’s critical legislative elections, reported AP.

A recent flurry of Democratic-sponsored ads and mailers in battleground districts expected to determine political control of the General Assembly have warned that Republicans would use a newfound legislative majority to ban abortion, including in cases where the pregnancy resulted from rape or a mother’s life was at risk. Virginia, currently under divided political control, now allows elective abortions in the first and second trimesters and is the only Southern state that has not implemented new restrictions since the end of Roe v. Wade.

In their messaging, Democrats have cited recent strict bans enacted in other GOP-led states, along with Republican candidates’ legislative records, past public statements and news articles, to bolster their claims. Republicans, who are largely campaigning on GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed ban on abortions after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, say their opponents are misrepresenting those sources or candidates’ past statements in an exploitative effort to drive turnout.

As his Republican rivals gather onstage in California for their second primary debate, former President Donald Trump was in battleground Michigan on Wednesday night working to win over blue-collar voters in the midst of an autoworkers’ strike.

The Republican front-runner’s trip comes a day after President Joe Biden became the first sitting president in U.S. history to walk a picket line as he joined United Auto Workers in Detroit. The union is pushing for higher wages, shorter work weeks and assurances from the country’s top automakers that new electric vehicle jobs will be unionized.

The dueling appearances preview what will likely be a chief dynamic of the 2024 general election, which increasingly looks like a rematch between Trump and Biden. Michigan is expected to again be a critical battleground state as both candidates try to paint themselves as champions of the working class.

You can watch the second Republican debate on livestreaming platform Rumble.

California Governor Gavin Newsom says Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate without Trump is little more than entertainment for political junkies given Trump’s commanding lead in the Republican primary.

“This is a sideshow, by any objective measure,” Newsom told the Associated Press. “You’ve got a guy who’s the de facto incumbent.” Trump indeed leads all other GOP contenders by at least 30 points in most national polls.

The debate, Newsom said, is “JV, XFL stuff.”

We in freedom state California believe in ‘crazy’ things like free speech, gun safety, healthcare, social security, climate change, oh…and…democracy: Gavin Newsom

Hours before the event, Nikki Haley put out a post on X, noting how the country ‘deserves a choice, not an echo.’

The front-runner to be Republican Party’s candidate for the presidential polls, 77, is on his way to the venue for his Detroit address, reports AP.

A smattering of protesters and supporters demonstrated outside the venue before Trump arrived, as per the AP report

“Going to have some fun again tonight,” says Vivek Ramaswamy in a post on X, the former Twitter.

Donald Trump continues to ‘mislead’ blue collar and union workers, says Republican presidential candidature hopeful Asa Hutchinson.

According to AP, the former President is scheduled to address members of Drake Enterprises, a non-unionized auto parts supplier, in Detroit, Michigan, at 8pm EST (5:30am IST on Thursday).

During the first debate, on the other hand, he opted for an interview with Tucker Carlson that streamed simultaneously with the Republican event.

The RNC has partnered with Rumble, a video-sharing platform, to livestream the event. You can also track HT’s live blog for all the updates.

Like the first, the second one too will be hosted by Fox News, and air on Fox News Channel, Fox Business, the network’s website, as well as other streaming and digital platforms. Univision, meanwhile, will provide Spanish language coverage.

Moderators: Stuart Varney (Fox Business Network host), Dana Perino (Fox News Channel host) and Ilia Calderon (Univision anchor).

In attendance (and participated in first debate):

Ron DeSantis (Florida governor)

Mike Pence (Former Vice President)

Nikki Haley (Ex-US ambassador to UN, former South Carolina governor)

Vivek Ramaswamy (Entrepreneur)

Tim Scott (South Carolina Senator)

Chris Christie (Ex-New Jersey governor)

Doug Burgum (North Dakota governor)

Meanwhile, of the eight who participated in the first round, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson is missing as he failed to meet the criteria to qualify. Former President Donald Trump, who lost the previous election, in November 2020, as sitting President to Democrat’s Joe Biden, the current President, is also missing.

Trump did not attend the first round as well.

A total of seven presidential hopefuls will square off, as against eight in the first debate on August 23, held at Milwaukee in Wisconsin. The third debate is scheduled for November 8 in Miami, Florida.