The first 2024 Republican presidential debate takes place Wednesday night in Milwaukee featuring eight candidates but frontrunner Donald Trump won't be there. Sources tell ABC News the former president is planning to counter-program the debate.
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00:00 Well, the 1st 2024 Republican presidential debate takes place tonight in Milwaukee.
00:05 There are eight candidates on the stage, but the front runner, former President Trump,
00:09 will not be there. Sources tell ABC News the former president is planning to counter-program
00:14 the debate. ABC's Justin Finch reports from Washington. In Wisconsin's largest city,
00:21 final preps for tonight's Republican presidential debate. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and
00:26 businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are set to take center stage. Ramaswamy on CNN.
00:32 Many people in this country didn't even know who I was six months ago, so this is a good
00:36 opportunity for me to introduce myself to the country. The party's inaugural debate of the 2024
00:42 campaign cycle pressing ahead without Donald Trump. Donald Trump is the leader, and if you
00:48 want to be number one, you have to take on the person who is number one. The former president
00:54 justifying his absence with recent polling showing he's the clear front runner by wide margins.
01:00 I've made no secret of the fact that I want him on that debate stage.
01:04 The eight candidates attending had to meet the Republican National Committee's polling
01:09 and donor requirements. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has qualified,
01:14 on conservative channel Newsmax, slamming Trump's decision to skip tonight's debate.
01:19 Because he didn't have the guts or the respect to show up on that stage and defend his record
01:26 and advocate for the future of America. People will make a decision based on the future of
01:30 their family, not what's going on in the legal entanglements of the former president.
01:35 In Milwaukee, some voters are looking for a Trump alternative.
01:39 I think he's got to hang it up. He's not going to win if he gets the nomination.
01:47 Sources familiar tell ABC News that Trump pre-taped an interview with former Fox host
01:53 Tucker Carlson that is set to stream online as the debate airs live on Fox.
01:59 Though Trump will be absent tonight, his campaign says he will have top advisors
02:05 and surrogates in Milwaukee representing him in the debate spin room,
02:09 thanks to invitations from some media outlets. Justin Finch, ABC News, Washington.