The second Republican debate saw candidates Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, Chris Christie, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis squaring off each other at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Notably absent was former president Donald Trump, who skipped both debates due to a persistently large lead in the polls. Leading up to the debate, Trump held a staggering 55 percent of support—42 percent higher than DeSantis in second place. With Trump’s legal trouble, and the first primary election rapidly approaching in January, this debate was a chance to claw back some headway. However, many constituents already resigned due to low expectations. 

“I’m expecting that they’ll just be fighting for the Vice President spot. Just the number two spot,” FHS junior Venkata Siva Ramisetty said. “Most likely Donald Trump will be the presidential candidate.”

Despite skepticism from some, many felt that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis could be the one to beat Trump. DeSantis at one point held 34 percent of support, gaining popularity from his policies in Florida.

“He’s been very strong on the social issues in Florida, such as parental rights,” FHS senior Dan Chizik said. 

However, things started to look shaky after declining poll numbers and a largely unimpactful first debate. Many criticized him for his lack of bite. 

“The only chance DeSantis has is going directly after Trump,” Chizik said. 

DeSantis asserted himself more with the second debate, using the most speaking time and openly criticizing Trump at the earliest opportunity.

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

Notably unwilling to criticize Trump was Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur who saw a significant increase in support after the first debate. However, despite being a strong speaker, his inexperience left him vulnerable. In the first debate, after denying climate change and implying that other candidates were corrupt, Chris Christie quipped that he’d had enough of him and compared Ramsawmy’s speech to ChatGPT. In the second debate, he took a different approach, professing respect and admiration for those on stage. However, this appeal proved largely ineffectual; Nikki Haley, during a tense exchange, stated that listening to Ramswamy made her feel dumber.  Some felt confident about his performance but for the wrong reasons. 

“I think I would say Vivek did the best, but just because I don’t think that Vivek is actually running for president,” Chizik said. “I think that he is running for either, you know, a seat in Ohio senate or something else.”

In addition to her tussle with Ramaswamy, Haley aimed strong words at Tim Scott and Ron DeSantis while arguing on energy policies and criticized Trump for being soft on China. Despite relatively little speaking time, Nikki Haley made a strong impression on voters and saw an increase in support in polls after the debate. Haley was particularly impactful on questions on international policy. 

“I’m very much on the side of Haley that we should be strong in foreign policy, you know, condemn Russia and provide aid for Ukraine and for Israel,” Chizik said.

The debate concluded with an unorthodox question from moderator Dana Perino: “Which one of you on the stage tonight should be voted off the island?” 

Candidates had mixed reactions ranging from confusion to indignance, and ultimately collectively concluded that the question was unprofessional. Chris Christie, however, provided an answer. 

“I’d vote Donald Trump off the island right now,” he asserted. “This guy has not only divided our party, he’s divided families all across the country,” Christie said. 

However, despite the near-unanimous criticism of Trump, and strong performances by some candidates in the debate, many felt that it made no difference. 

“I think the Republican primaries once again are just going to be a Trump win. Like he’s steamrolling, and I don’t think that’s gonna change because I don’t think any of these people are getting out,” FHS senior Alan Lu said. 

Poll numbers seem to agree, with Trump maintaining a staggering 44 percent lead over Ron DeSantis in second place. 

“I think his brand of politics is here to stay,” Lu said.