As the 2024 presidential election approaches, several Republican candidates are vying to position themselves as a clear alternative to former president Donald Trump. This was on display at the latest GOP debate, where Trump himself was notably absent.
The debate highlighted familiar foreign policy divides within the Republican party on issues like Ukraine and Taiwan. There were also revealing exchanges on hot-button domestic issues like abortion.
But the overarching theme remained the challenge of emerging from Trump’s shadow. With Trump still dominating polls, the debate was arguably more about claiming the mantle of his successor than directly taking him on.
Most Skirted Directly Attacking Trump Despite His Debate Absence
Trump declined to participate in this third Republican debate, just as he skipped the first two. His continued front-runner status afforded him that luxury.
But his physical absence from the debate stage made it tricky for other candidates to directly criticize or challenge his record. Nikki Haley came closest, stating:
“Donald Trump’s a lot different guy than he was in 2016.”
But even this mild critique lasted less than 30 seconds. Haley did not question Trump’s decision to skip the debate.
Other candidates went even easier on the former president. Vivek Ramaswamy blamed RNC chair Ronna McDaniel rather than Trump for recent Republican losses. Ron DeSantis simply stated Trump owed primary voters an explanation.
The difficulty of attacking an absent Trump shows why he may have been wise to avoid the debates altogether. With Trump dominating polls but not on stage, rivals struggled to land punches or alter the race’s shape.
Foreign Policy Divisions Resurfaced on Issues Like Ukraine
Recent global events like the Israel-Hamas war and the conflict in Ukraine created a sharper foreign policy focus during the Republican debate.
There was broad agreement on supporting Israel and condemning antisemitism. But schisms between GOP interventionists and non-interventionists quickly emerged on other topics:
- Ukraine Aid – Christie, Haley, and Scott backed continued military assistance to Ukraine against Russian aggression. But Ramaswamy, a longtime critic of such aid, condemned it. DeSantis dodged the Ukraine question entirely.
- Countering China – Haley, Scott, and Christie advocated forcefully countering potential Chinese threats to Taiwan. Ramaswamy argued these hawks represent failed bipartisan foreign policies.
- Venezuela Oil – There were also divisions on how to handle Venezuela’s global oil market role. Haley wanted to counter its “dangerous” government while Scott stressed replacing its oil imports.
In a party divided on foreign policy, these fault lines will impact how aggressively different candidates counter Russia, China, and other adversaries if elected president. The debate illuminated these ongoing GOP rifts.
Abortion Remained Contentious as GOP Seeks Electoral Answers
Abortion has bedeviled Republicans electorally ever since Roe v. Wade’s overturning. Democrats have successfully used the issue to their advantage, including in recent state-level elections.
During the debate, Nikki Haley presented a softer approach to abortion politics compared to her male counterparts. She said:
“We don’t need to divide America over this issue anymore.”
Haley said she respected the decisions of states to protect abortion rights even if she disagreed with them. She focused on achievable national limits like restricting late-term abortions rather than imposing outright bans.
Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, and others stuck to rhetoric about banning abortions that has proven ineffective with swing voters. Haley’s nuanced stance could help Republicans improve their standing with suburban women and moderates.
Ramaswamy’s Attacks Alienated Others Rather Than Elevated His Candidacy
No GOP candidate went after Trump more forcefully than Vivek Ramaswamy during the debates so far. But his frequent combative attacks on rivals like Nikki Haley have arguably backfired.
Ramaswamy drew rebukes from Haley and others for going after their families and making incendiary statements. This dominating style has won Ramaswamy attention but turned off voters not receptive to negativity or extremism.
With no real path to the nomination, Ramaswamy is instead excelling at driving the debate discourse into irrelevant personal feuds. His prominence on stage has hindered more viable contenders from getting their messages across during valuable nationally televised events.
Field Remains United in Aiming to Become Trump’s Heir Rather Than Rival
With Trump’s daunting poll lead, the Republican field remains focused on positioning themselves as his natural successor. The goal is emerging as the Trumpist candidate best equipped to inherit his base once he exits the political scene.
No candidate at the debate displayed an obvious path to overtaking Trump outright in the primary. Nor did anyone try to chart an anti-Trump lane to vie for more moderate GOP voters.
Instead, the contenders vied for the title of most loyal Trump successor. This involved showcasing their embrace of his populist-nationalist agenda and avoiding direct attacks on his record or controversies.
Barring Trump becoming incapacitated or indicted, this successor strategy remains the only viable one. It demonstrates Trump’s enduring influence that the primaries are revolving around inheriting his mantle rather than rebuking his legacy.
Final Takeaways from the Latest GOP Presidential Debate
With Trump declining to participate, the recent Republican debate failed to shake up the underlying dynamics of the 2024 primary race. It did however reveal telling divides on policy and strategy:
- Most candidates remained hesitant to directly criticize Trump, underscoring his dominance.
- Cracks emerged on foreign policy issues like Ukraine, highlighting GOP ideological factions.
- Nikki Haley charted a softer abortion stance aimed at broadening Republican appeal.
- Vivek Ramaswamy’s abrasive attacks overshadowed more substantive contenders.
- The field remains focused on becoming Trump’s heir rather than usurping him.
Barring a major scandal, Trump retains a strong grip on the 2024 Republican nomination. But the debate showed an intriguing competition brewing over who can eventually inherit his base and carry his torch forward. This fight to emerge as Trump’s successor will continue to define the GOP primary trail.
1 Comment