The second Republican primary debate aired live on Wednesday from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

“Those Qualified and Choosing to Attend” – The Second Republican Primary Debate

September 28, 2023
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Connor Walcott
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The second Republican primary debate aired live on Wednesday from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

There is plenty to unpack.

The evening’s lineup consisted of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie former Vice President Mike Pence, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who was present for the first debate, did not meet the donor and polling requirements to participate. Former President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner, declined to attend.

But as moderators Stuart Varney, Dana Perino (Fox News) and Ilia Calderón (Univision) stated, those “qualified and choosing to attend” were called upon to present their case for why they deserve to inherit the legacy of the man in whose library they stood. President Ronald Reagan warned the nation that freedom is never more than a generation from extinction … but did the current slate of candidates prove themselves worthy of carrying that torch?

Here are some of the winners, losers, and standout moments from the second Republican primary debate.

The Moderators

A tweet from Patrick Bet-David summed up the performance of the debate moderators perfectly:

Throughout the debate, Varney, Perino, and Calderón struggled to control the discussion and make themselves heard over the clashing candidates. Online criticism of the debate’s overall quality consisted of just as many attacks on the moderators as the candidates.

In a widely-criticized moment at the end of the debate, Perino cited Donald Trump’s numerical advantage in the polls, which is only growing given the number of rival candidates. She then asked candidates to “vote someone off the island” like they were on an episode of “Survivor.” To their credit, the candidates unanimously refused to answer the question, although Chris Christie did seize the moment to criticize Donald Trump.

The Candidates

(NOTE: Candidate assessments are arranged in order of stage position, not necessarily based on performance. Subscribe to the PBD Podcast for the Home Team’s full post-debate rankings and breakdown LIVE Thursday afternoon.)

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis, who is currently a distant second to Donald Trump, noticeably avoided attacking the former president for his absence during the first debate. However, he adopted a very different tactic the second time around becoming one of the loudest voices, calling Trump out for being “missing in action.” While DeSantis took this angle on the issue of national debt, his fiercest criticism came when discussing the issue of abortion.

Trump previously called DeSantis’ six-week abortion ban a “terrible thing and a terrible mistake,” promised a bipartisan compromise on the issue, and blamed pro-life advocates for Republican defeats in the midterm elections.

As expected, DeSantis also touted his successful record in Florida, highlighting his efforts to remove Soros-backed district attorneys, defend parental rights in education, and “fight the big fights” in the culture war.

But in a moment that has been criticized by his opponents, DeSantis struggled while answering a question about skyrocketing insurance rates in the state of Florida.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy, a promising up-and-comer in the primary race, had a strong start weighing in on the United Auto Workers strike. Expressing no sympathy for the union bosses, he encouraged autoworkers to picket outside the White House in protest of President Joe Biden’s economic policies.

Another standout moment came when Ramaswamy proposed a unique and radical strategy for addressing the immigration crisis: ending birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

Other key moments came when he condemned transgenderism as a “mental disorder” and called for a “zero-base” budgeting strategy for the federal government.

However, Ramaswamy also faced sharp criticism from his fellow candidates, becoming the target of the kinds of attacks he avoided in the first debate. One such criticism raised by Tim Scott focused on his apparent flip-flop from calling his opponents “bought and paid for” to saying they are all “good people.”

Other attacks, primarily from Nikki Haley, centered on Ramaswamy’s use of TikTok to reach young voters despite its known ties to Chinese data-mining operations.

Nikki Haley

Haley, one of the only candidates to see a ratings increase since the last debate, primarily stood out for her attacks on other candidates.

In addition to attacking Ramaswamy for his use of TikTok and his ties to China, she also went after DeSantis for allegedly banning fracking in Florida on his second day in office — a claim the Florida governor fiercely denied.

Discussing the idea of being “promoted” over fellow South Carolinian Tim Scott, Haley asked “Where’s he been for 12 years?”

She also took strong stances on healthcare costs, the fentanyl crisis, and education reforms.

Tim Scott

The first candidate called on to speak, Scott began with a strong statement about the UAW strike, criticizing Biden for visiting the picket line instead of addressing the southern border.

A standout moment came when Scott interjected into a discussion of DeSantis’ controversial statements about slavery. After condemning slavery, Scott highlighted that Black families nevertheless survived slavery and discrimination but collapsed under the “Great Society” programs created by President Lyndon Johnson.  

Chris Christie

Christie, the most vocally anti-Trump candidate, strongly condemned Trump for skipping a second debate, accusing him of cowardice and nicknaming him “Donald Duck” to mixed audience results.

Christie also addressed the abortion issue, stressing the need for Republicans to be pro-life for the entire life, offering help to drug addicts as well as defending the unborn.

However, in a moment that received mixed reactions, Christie also called for a massive influx of legal migrants in order to fill six million vacant jobs.

Mike Pence

Pence spent much of the debate once again touting his successes as vice president while distancing himself from Donald Trump. Citing his experience in the White House — an advantage none of his fellow candidates have — Pence expressed his commitment to Ronald Reagan’s conservative legacy over “the siren song of populism.”

Turning to energy, he reminded the audience of the Trump-Pence administration’s success in creating American energy independence and promoted his plan to do it again.

Pence also emphatically called for the expedited execution of mass shooters, creating a stronger deterrent for future perpetrators.

However, much of the criticism directed against the former vice president focused on his apparent lack of energy and slow, less-than-engaging delivery of otherwise reasonable points.

Doug Burgum

After a lackluster performance at the first debate, Burgum set himself apart in the second round by providing many of the most direct answers of the night. While other candidates gave lengthy answers about the UAW strike, Burgum succinctly laid out the root cause: Biden’s interference with the free market.

Burgum also showcased his record in North Dakota, where he has successfully implemented many of the policies his fellow candidates have only talked about.

However, perhaps given his status at the bottom of the on-stage ranking, the moderators were often dismissive of Burgum’s input, including one instance where Perino blew right past him to address Haley instead.

Not On Stage: Donald Trump

When Trump skipped the first debate, he opted instead to air a 45-minute interview with commentator Tucker Carlson. During the second debate, he visited the UAW picket line in an effort to make headway with the traditionally Democratic union. Trump hosted a rally during which he delivered a speech supporting American manufacturing and condemning the Democrat agenda. Read more about that Trump speech HERE.

Waiting In the Wings: Gavin Newsom

California Governor Gavin Newsom attended the debate on behalf of the Biden campaign, interacting with the media and assessing the Republican competition. However, the governor seemed less than impressed by what he saw, declaring that “it will be clear that Trump is the dominant force. This is the XFL, JV, a Vice presidential debate at best” before the halfway point of the debate.

Amid rumors that Newsom is simply awaiting a call from the DNC to rise up and replace Joe Biden as the 2024 nominee, his presence at the debate is seen by many as a sign of much bigger things to come.

The next Republican primary debate will be held on November 8 in Miami, Florida, and will feature even stricter participation requirements.

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