Second Republican presidential debate live updates: Bickering about economy, energy, China — and they couldn’t resist calling out Trump
Seven 2024 GOP presidential aspirants sparred over the auto workers strike, healthcare, inflation and President Biden during the second Republican primary debate, but Trump remained the elephant not in the room.
He even got a new nickname out of the night, despite being three time zones away from the stage.
The candidates converged at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. for the two-hour verbal rumble that started at 9 p.m. ET. on Fox Business.
Seven of the eight candidates from the first debate were there, after former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson failed to qualify.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum battled it out on the debate stage.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump — the GOP frontrunner — spent the evening visiting Michigan to rally with striking members of the United Auto Workers union.
Follow along for more live updates from the second 2024 Republican debate: