How many times did primary candidates mention Trump in the second Republican debate?
Seven Republican candidates criticized one another, President Joe Biden, and the absent former President Donald Trump Wednesday evening in the second primary debate of the 2024 presidential election.
The candidates argued over the economy, the autoworkers' strike, border security and other issues in the two-hour debate, hosted by Fox Business Network and Univision at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
The debate ended without a clear challenger to Trump, who retains a commanding polling lead in the election.
Candidates on stage:
- Ron DeSantis, Florida governor
- Mike Pence, former vice president
- Nikki Haley, South Carolina governor
- Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor
- Tim Scott, South Carolina senator
- Vivek Ramaswamy, biotech entrepreneur
- Doug Burgum, North Dakota governor
Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who was on stage during the first debate, didn't qualify for the second and will be no longer participating.Trump, the leading GOP candidate despite having being indicted four times on 91 felony charges, was a constant presence at the debate, though none of the candidates mentioned the criminal charges against him. Here is what Paste BN found while reviewing candidate exchanges.
How many times did the candidates mention Trump?
Candidates attacked Trump for skipping the debate, with DeSantis and Christie voicing the most criticism. Here is how often candidates spoke of Trump.
Number of times candidates attacked each other
Ramaswamy, who is fourth among Republican hopefuls, took most of the heat from other candidates in the second debate. They questioned some of his proposals, including ending birthright citizenship. Scott claimed Ramaswamy was doing business with the Communist Party in China.
How many times did the candidates mention Joe Biden?
Candidates criticized Biden's economic policies and said the president is to blame for the autoworker strike. They also said Biden has not secured the nation's southern border.
Who spoke the most
What did Trump do instead of debate?
Ex-president Trump missed the second debate and spent Wednesday holding a rally in Detroit, where autoworkers are on strike.
CONTRIBUTING Susan Page, Phillip Bailey and Joey Garrison, Paste BN
SOURCE Paste BN Network reporting and research; Associated Press