Who benefits from Donald Trump’s absence and the new dynamics in the Republican debate?

Eight Republican candidates will meet on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night in what may be the biggest moment in the GOP’s young 2024 presidential primary so far. The overwhelming front-runner in the contest, former President Donald Trump, won’t participate. He says he’s so far ahead that he’d be helping his opponents by showing up. But his absence also offers them opportunity.Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, a distant second to Trump in many polls, is betting that a strong showing will cement his status as the strongest alternative to the former president despite his many stumbles.

ALL ABOUT TRUMP
Trump is the central issue in today’s Republican Party, which means he will be the central issue in the debate even in absentia. To this point, most of his rivals have tiptoed around the former president, unwilling to raise serious concerns about his mounting legal baggage, his lies about the 2020 election and his divisive leadership style.

CAN DESANTIS BEGIN TO REVERSE HIS SLIDE?
On paper, DeSantis was Trump’s strongest competitor when he entered the race this spring. He hasn’t lived up to the billing. And after a series of stumbles and staffing cuts, DeSantis cannot afford to underwhelm with the nation watching on Wednesday night.

ABORTION MINEFIELD
For much of the year, many Republican candidates have sidestepped specific questions about abortion and whether they would support a federal law outlawing the procedure nationwide. Whatever they say or don’t say Wednesday night could have serious short- and long-term political consequences. And there are no easy answers.

FOREIGN POLICY CONFLICT
The conservatives on stage agree on most policies. But in the age of Trump, foreign policy has emerged as a serious point of contention. A growing group of Republicans, including the likes of DeSantis and Ramaswamy, have embraced Trump’s “America First” populism that calls for a reduced U.S. footprint in global affairs. DeSantis earlier in the year described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “ a territorial dispute “ before being forced to backtrack.