Live Updates: Fourth Republican debate

Haley becomes a target within 10 minutes of the debate with Ramaswamy and DeSantis attacking her.

Vivek Ramaswamy has campaigned on a message of unity but has increasingly taken shots at the other candidates during each of the three preceding debates. Moderator Megyn Kelly asks: Is he worried that voters may be questioning his authenticity?

He responds by criticizing Haley’s record and calls her “corrupt.”

Ron DeSantis is asked a pretty simple question: Is now your time? And he looks back to the pandemic. Since the pandemic, he’s launched book bans and revised the study of slavery and signed a 6-week abortion ban. This isn’t a pandemic anymore. Missed opportunity to talk about the future.

Nikki Haley doesn’t exactly lean into unity in her opening statement but rather takes an opportunity to talk about how she has gone further on anti-trans rhetoric. She’s portraying herself as a fighter, and the fight goes back and forth before Ramaswamy chimes in.

Ramaswamy uses his opening statement to attack Nikki Haley for working for a U.S. manufacturing company while he took investment from foreign countries for his business. Interesting tactic, and probably fits the description Megyn Kelly opens with — he’s unpredictable and not exactly the same candidate on each debate stage.

Here we go.

Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a strong lead in the GOP primary race despite not participating in any of the debates.

While Trump may play well with the Republican base, there are fears he won’t be able to perform as well in the general election. The former president faces four major legal battles during the campaign year, and voters have been less than enthusiastic about a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden.

She says he distorts her record.

The first question to Nikki Haley is about her net worth and current and past relationships with corporations and big-name donors. Haley says “we’ll take support from anybody we can take support from” but says she’s been a “conservative fighter” all her life.

The first question posed to candidates is about electability. DeSantis is asked if recent polling numbers suggest 2028 would have been a better time to run, given most Republican voters still prefer Trump. “We’re going to earn this nomination,” DeSantis responded.

NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer says Ron DeSantis received the loudest cheers.

The visual of the four candidates on the NewsNation debate stage here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is notable and not necessarily insignificant. Three men in dark suits and red ties; Nikki Haley in white. It’s a four-person stage but Haley looks like she’s center stage. Television is a visual medium, and that could redound to Haley’s benefit, if she performs up to expectations.

The debate is getting underway.

Everyone is in their seats and behind their podiums.

As recent Republican presidential contests show, leading big in December doesn’t always mean you’re on your way to the nomination.

In the 2008 cycle, Rudy Giuliani held a strong lead around this time before Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had a comeback win in New Hampshire — propelling his candidacy and eventual nomination.

At this point in the 2012 race, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) was ahead by 20 points. He ended that cycle fourth for total delegates, with Mitt Romney locking up the nomination.

For his part, Trump led the last contested GOP primary in 2016 for nearly the entire race once debates began, except for a brief scare by Ben Carson around the time of the third debate in the fall.

Of course, Trump’s lead eight years ago pales in comparison to his roughly 50-point advantage now. And unlike before, in addition to defending his big lead now, he is also battling four criminal cases.

The game

Americans vote, not polls. This race isn’t over until votes are counted. And the way votes are counted is set by each state’s party.

If a smart operator — and there are a lot of them on this stage — is planning a strategy for the game, they can look at the delegate math and play big if they can just stay in during Iowa and New Hampshire and pick off states on Super Tuesday. I remember Obama winning Idaho with about 80% of the vote. There is still a chance to bring about some surprises. And these candidates’ teams know it.

Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley has outperformed all of her fellow candidates on the stage in past debates and has drawn attention from the likes of big long-term Republicans because there’s a perception that she could bring people together.

Haley did that in the state of South Carolina, she got the Confederate flag down in the aftermath of a horrific crime, she kept the calm in the aftermath of a police shooting. America needs calm. Biden won in key districts because Americans wanted calm. Americans haven’t altogether been happy with Biden, and there’s a chance for someone like a Nikki Haley to bring back women in key states.

We’re seeing Haley perform, and I’m watching her tonight because she needs to again outperform. But will she live up to the expectations of those who believe she can unify?

Ron DeSantis

Since his faulty launch, DeSantis has struggled. His campaign has had shake-ups and his PAC recently. McCain did shake up his campaign and then won. It’s possible. But he has to have a good night.

He took the challenge to debate Gavin Newsom, thinking it would give him momentum in this debate, but the consensus was the debate was another missed moment. This is his last organized moment by the Republicans that we know of. He must throw the punch that lands if he wants the chance to be in the Oval Office.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is facing mounting pressure to suspend his campaign and help consolidate the vote behind a candidate who can challenge front-runner former President Donald Trump.

Christie has trailed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the polls, with speculation he wouldn’t qualify for tonight’s Republican debate.

Seven candidates from the initially crowded field have already suspended their campaigns as some suggest consolidating support behind a viable challenger is the only way to keep Trump from winning the nomination.

Christie, for his part, has said he’s committed to remaining in the race through the Republican National Convention in July.

NewsNation contributor Mick Mulvaney says Iowa is different because candidates don’t need a lot of money initially to attract voters to their side.

NewsNation contributor Sean Spicer, meanwhile, says campaign money doesn’t matter if candidates don’t do well in Iowa.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tells Leland Vittert the GOP isn’t a party exclusively focused on grievances.

In the last debate, Vivek Ramaswamy criticized McDaniel, accusing the party of losing elections under her leadership and calling for accountability.

A source close to Chris Christie confirms he is expected to emphasize during the debate the dangers he sees Donald Trump poses and will criticize the other candidates for not doing the same. Christie is expected to specifically mention Trump’s comments last night.

Former Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer says voters want to see if the candidates have style and are fighters to take on “the woke establishment.”

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen will be in attendance at the debate, which he said is a “historical” and “special” moment for the state and the University of Alabama, his alma mater.

“I just want to take it in with my eyes,” Allen told NewsNation before the debate. “We’re very fortunate to have it in Tuscaloosa.”

It’s the first presidential primary debate to be held in Alabama.

Photo by Mike Ewing

While four candidates are taking the stage for the fourth Republican debate, the elephant not in the room is former President Donald Trump, still the clear front-runner for the 2024 nomination.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have been battling for second place, trailed by biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Those who fear Trump’s ability to win in a general election as he continues to face mounting legal troubles have suggested a consolidated field is the best chance for another candidate to garner enough support. Others have suggested the candidates are competing for a different role – Trump’s next vice president.

Haley has gained support after her performance in other debates, racking up endorsements and funding, but she continues to battle with DeSantis for the No. 2 spot and so far neither has come close to catching up with Trump.

Chris Cuomo says this might be the last chance for the candidates to use a big stage to make an impact on voters.

With less than an hour to go before the debate, people are heading to their seats at the University of Alabama.

NewsNation’s Leland Vittert and Chris Cuomo are highlighting what to expect at tonight’s debate.

The fourth GOP debate of the year is NewsNation’s first as a network. Nexstar President Perry Sook says it’s “a big day, not only in the history of Nexstar but certainly of NewsNation.”

As we settle in for the fourth GOP presidential debate, here’s what I’m watching for tonight:

1. Can Haley keep up her momentum?
   The former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador has consistently ticked up in the polls through the first three on-stage clashes. She’s also drawn considerable interest from donors and the national media.
   The big question tonight: Can she keep her momentum going heading into January and the first two early-state contests?
   She’s hoping to be competitive in Iowa and have a decisive showing in New Hampshire before going head-to-head with Trump in her home state of South Carolina. But she’ll need to continue parrying attacks on stage while shifting the focus toward Trump.
   
2. Does DeSantis do anything to change the trajectory of the race?
   
   The Florida governor had a massive electoral win a little over a year ago in The Sunshine State. But he’s struggled to cut into Trump’s lead in the GOP primary and instead finds himself defending his claim as the top alternative to Trump in the race.DeSantis has been challenging the former president to a one-on-one debate since late September, without success, but has stepped up his rhetoric in recent days. Does he shift gears tonight or stick with his current slow-and-steady approach?
   
3. How hard do the candidates hit Trump?
   
   Each of those on stage tonight have drawn contrasts with Trump — some much clearer than others — but all of them recognize attacking the former president has its limits. Worse for them, it can potentially backfire hard.
   The latest opening for potential attack: Trump’s insistence in a town hall Tuesday that he won’t be a “dictator” if elected to a second term — “except for Day 1.”
   Candidates on stage will have to decide whether to unload sharper barbs on the elephant in the room or bank on ginning up enthusiasm among his supporters with attacks on President Biden and Democrats.
   
4. Are there any breakout moments for Christie or Ramaswamy?
   
   Few in the race have had the same pugnaciousness when it comes to attacking Trump as Christie. The former New Jersey governor is also running last in polls of those on stage.
   Should Christie train his fire on one of the candidates standing next to him tonight, it could make a difference on who is No. 2 or 3 heading into Iowa and New Hampshire.
   Meanwhile, while Ramaswamy shot up in polls to third nationally after bursting onto the scene earlier this year, his stock has fallen considerably amid several bruising debates and a bevy of attacks against his argumentative style, command of issues and policy positions.
   Like Christie, though, the entrepreneur has the potential to take someone else down a notch—or at least keep their fire trained on him and not Trump.

In this final and potentially pivotal Republican debate of 2023 — and possibly final debate before the January 15 Iowa caucuses — here are the moments, exchanges, fisticuffs I’m watching for:

1. Will Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis finally, truly, mix it up, reflective of the back-and-forth taking place between their campaigns in recent weeks? We’re used to Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy squabbling, and Haley and DeSantis have had a couple of sharp-edged exchanges in past debates. But they have never really gone to war the way some thought might happen after Haley shot up in the polls and became a true threat to DeSantis in the race to emerge as the consensus alternative to Donald Trump. Will we finally see this prize fight tonight? If we do, and if one candidate emerges as the clear winner, that could matter.
2. Will Haley and Chris Christie mix it up? Earlier this week, my colleagues and I at The Dispatch reported that Haley donors have approached Christie donors to ask them if they might be willing to encourage the former New Jersey governor to drop out of the race. The concern is that Christie could take votes away from Haley in New Hampshire, where she hopes to set up a more direct confrontation with Trump after, hopefully, performing well in Iowa. Haley and Christie compete for the same voters, and Haley will need all the help she can get if she’s going to have a chance to pull off an upset. Hence, some of her donors are trying to find a way to entice Christie out of the race beforehand. Christie is well aware of this effort, and it will be curious if that impacts tonight’s debate, especially given his penchant for pugnacity.
3. How will the candidates handle TRUMP? The former president is skipping this debate, just as he bypassed the previous three. But he’s in control of this race, and this is potentially the last chance (for a while, at least) for his competitors to make a case against him before a national audience. Will they go out of their way to do so? If the moderators force their hand by asking about Trump, particularly about his multiple criminal indictments, will they take on the former president, albeit in absentia, or will they do what they usually do, squirm and deflect and refuse to answer the question? In this regard, the spotlight will really be on DeSantis and Haley. Christie attacks Trump every chance he gets, while Ramaswamy is the former president’s chief defender on this and almost every other matter.
4. DeSantis has something to lose; Haley has something to gain. For DeSantis, he can ill afford to turn in a bad or lackluster performance this close to the Iowa caucuses and with so much turmoil swirling around his campaign. His debate performances have improved consistently, so there’s not necessarily a reason to assume he’ll fall flat. But it’s also true that he’s under a new kind of pressure. Haley, meanwhile, has used stellar performances in each debate to fuel momentum that has led to an influx of big donors, big donor money and grassroots enthusiasm in the early primary states. Another stellar performance could up her trajectory yet again. Will she capitalize?
5. This might sound obvious; too obvious. But it bears emphasizing that the previous three debates did not alter the 2024 Republican primary as it relates to Trump and his very large and rather durable lead. So, is this the moment that allows one of his competitors to emerge as the consensus alternative to Trump, setting up an opportunity to truly challenge him for the nomination? Or at least to get a big push down that road? That’s what matters most, and no matter what else we see this evening, no matter how substantive, how entertaining or how memorable, that’s ultimately all that matters.

Elizabeth Vargas, the Peabody award-winning anchor of NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” Megyn Kelly, host of “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM and Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon, will moderate.

“The Hill’s” Blake Burman provides a sneak peek of the stage they will be moderating on.

A senior adviser for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told NewsNation, “We expect everyone to go after him” tonight.

DeSantis’ camp thinks the governor’s debate with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week has helped prepare him for tonight, especially since this is the smallest number of candidates so far.

DeSantis heads back to Iowa tomorrow for several days of campaigning. You can expect most of his attention between now and the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15 to be in Iowa, although he will spend some time in the other early states.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s adviser also told NewsNation she does expect the other three candidates to attack her because of her growth in the polls following the previous debates.

The growth in the polls “puts a target on her back,” the adviser says. If she is attacked, “she is going to hit back” just as hard.

The adviser says Haley has not prepped in any different way than the other debates.

Separately, the campaign confirms its New Hampshire state director has left.

Haley will spend a lot of time in Iowa in the coming weeks as the Iowa caucuses are near but also in the other early states.

Audience members are being let into the debate venue, the Frank Moody Music Building on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa.

As four of the candidates for the GOP primary nomination take the stage at tonight’s Republican debate, voters will be looking to know where they stand on the top challenges facing the U.S. domestically and abroad.

The top issue for GOP voters has been border security, with NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ polling finding 51.5% of Republicans think it should be the first issue addressed if Republicans gain control of the White House and Congress.

Inflation and the economy have consistently ranked as top concerns with voters, with 29.8% of Republicans saying addressing inflation should be a top priority.

Abortion has also been a consistent issue for candidates, with 45.6% supporting the Republican Party’s approach to the issue. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have expressed support for abortion bans as early as six weeks, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have both said they would not support federal restrictions on abortion unless states reached a consensus.

On the issues of foreign policy, voters will also be looking to see how candidates respond to continued support for Ukraine as well as aid to Israel in the Israel-Hamas conflict. China is also a top concern, with 56.3% of Republican voters saying the country is the biggest threat facing the U.S.