US elections are coming up in 2024: Can another Republican politician pose a threat to Donald Trump? Sparks flew during a TV debate between seven of the ex-president’s persecutors.
With criticism of incumbent Joe Biden and mutual attacks, US Republican presidential candidates tried to catch up with front-runner Donald Trump in a TV debate.
They blamed Democratic President Biden for price increases and illegal immigration, among other things. Trump, who according to polls is clearly ahead in favor of Republican voters, also stayed away from the second debate and instead sought support for striking auto workers in Michigan.
Few allow themselves to be attacked by Trump
Only a few of the seven Republicans allowed themselves to attack Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recalled that Trump’s high spending period laid the foundation for later inflation.
The former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, criticized Trump for not making the border with Mexico impermeable, contrary to all his promises. And in one of the more entertaining moments of the two-hour debate, Christie warned Donald Trump that he would soon be called Donald Duck if he continued to avoid the televised debates.
In the debate, the biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Senator Tim Scott came into the spotlight with many statements – and sometimes spoke for minutes at the same time, so that one could hardly understand a word.
Debate chaotic for long stretches
Other participants also repeatedly tried to interrupt each other and made the debate chaotic for long periods. Scott accused former American UN Ambassador Nikki Haley of ordering overpriced curtains for the official residence, which she denied. Haley told Ramaswamy she could feel herself getting dumber as she listened to him.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, acted statesmanlike and often held back. It took DeSantis about a quarter of an hour before he spoke for the first time. The governor of Florida is still considered Trump’s most promising opponent in the race for the Republican nomination, but the former president’s clear lead makes DeSantis more vulnerable from the perspective of the other candidates. DeSantis emphasized that he doesn’t rely much on forecasts: “It’s not polls that choose presidents, but voters that choose presidents.”
The Trump persecutors tried to score points with a demonstration of toughness – especially against China, drug cartels from Mexico and immigrants who illegally crossed the US border. Ramaswamy, known for his populist agenda, went further and advocated deporting even children born in the United States if their parents were in the country illegally at birth.
Division in the Republican Party
The division in the Republican Party became clear when it came to the position on the war in Ukraine. While DeSantis and Ramaswamy advocated that the US bring about an end to the war through negotiations as quickly as possible, Pence and Haley advocated continued support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Trump tried to get the support of the UAW auto union, which is currently on strike at major US manufacturers. He claimed that Biden’s plans to expand electric car production would destroy the US auto industry because it would require fewer workers. Climate change was not an issue in the TV debate. On the contrary, Ramaswamy, among others, once again called for drilling for oil and burning coal because this would stimulate the US economy.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
