Republican debate recap: Haley, Scott and Ramaswamy clash as Trump courts auto workers

The Trump campaign trashed the second Republican debate, which Trump skipped and attempted to counter-program with a competing campaign event.

"Tonight's GOP debate was as boring and inconsequential as the first debate," said top Trump campaign aide Chris LaCivita in a statement.

That statement also touted Trump's lead in the polls, and called on the Republican National Committee to "put an end to any further primary debates so we can train our fire on" Biden.

— Kevin Breuninger

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said former President Donald Trump should be voted off the Republican primary island after a question by the debate hosts fell flat.

Fox News host Dana Perino asked, "Which one of you on stage tonight should be voted off the island?" Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the others on the stage said they would not answer that question.

But Christie was called out for writing down a name when the question was asked, and said he believed Trump should be voted off.

— Brian Schwartz

Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley faced off with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on energy policy at the second presidential debate.

"Ron DeSantis is against fracking. He's against drilling. He always talks about what happens on day one. You better watch out because what happens on day two is when you're in trouble," Haley said. "Day two in Florida you banned fracking. You banned offshore drilling."

DeSantis responded with his own energy policy proposals and disputed that he banned fracking.

-- Brian Schwartz

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during the second Republican debate that he will end the war in Ukraine with Russia if he becomes president.

"It's in our interest to end this war, we're going to have Europeans do what they need to do," DeSantis said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth more than $1 billion.

— Brian Schwartz

Haley tore into Ramaswamy after he defended his decision to join TikTok, a social media platform he previously denounced as a Chinese threat.

"Honestly, every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber for what you say," Haley said after describing TikTok as "one of the most dangerous social media apps."

"China knows exactly what they're doing," she said, before launching into a litany of criticisms of Ramaswamy's record.

"We can't trust you! We can't trust you!" she said.

Ramaswamy responded by calling for an end to "personal insults."

— Kevin Breuninger

Haley said that shortcomings in the U.S. education system should be addressed in part by removing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including critical race theory.

Her plan also includes teaching students financial literacy.

Haley advocated for "universal school choice," and said it was not for "lack of trying" that South Carolina does not currently follow such a model.

— Kevin Breuninger

Pence threw a jab at DeSantis on the rise in spending in Florida under his watch.

"Ron, you talk a really good game about cutting spending, but you've increased spending in Florida by 30%," Pence said.

A similar claim leveled against DeSantis by Christie on CNBC was rated "Half True" by PolitiFact.

DeSantis asked for a chance to respond, but the moderator instead threw to a commercial break.

— Kevin Breuninger

Republican Sen. Tim Scott went on offense against businessman Vivek Ramaswamy during the second Republican primary debate.

Scott claimed that Ramaswamy was "just in business with the Chinese Communist Party" and that he had ties to associates of President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden.

Ramaswamy said that he had a company that had a subsidiary in China but eventually left the country. Those on the stage then said that he only left the country when he ran for president.

Ramaswamy took aim at the GOP primary contestants in the first debate, saying at the time they were all "bought and paid for" by special interests.

— Brian Schwartz

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took aim at former President Donald Trump, virtually everyone in Congress and President Joe Biden during the second Republican presidential debate.

"He put $7 trillion on the debt," Christie said of Trump and his administration. He also ripped Trump for not showing up to the debate.

"Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won't show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us," Christie said.

— Brian Schwartz

After 15 minutes of the debate had elapsed, DeSantis finally got a word in edgewise.

DeSantis, who stood center stage, was the last candidate to speak in the opening segment. When he finally did, he attacked Trump for skipping the debate and also targeted Biden.

— Kevin Breuninger

Scott was asked whether he would fire striking auto workers in light of his prior comments praising ex-President Ronald Reagan's handling a strike of federal employees.

Scott noted that the president "cannot fire anybody in the private sector."

He then veered into a critique of the Biden administration's policies on fentanyl and border security.

— Kevin Breuninger

Fox Business host Stuart Varney stumbled out of the gate as he introduced the second Republican debate in California at the Reagan Library.

Varney, as the contest started, stumbled on the name of Ilia Calderón, a Univision anchor and fellow debate host, as the Fox host introduced the debate.

— Brian Schwartz

Former President Donald Trump said during a speech in Michigan that those on the Republican primary debate stage in California are trying out for a job in a possible future Trump administration, with none of them seemingly impressing him to be his potential running mate.

"They're all job candidates," Trump said about the seven candidates taking part in tonight's debate. "They'll do anything."

"Does anybody see any VP in the group? I don't think so," Trump said, referring to a candidate to run with him as vice president. Trump is skipping tonight's debate at the Reagan Library.

Those competing in the debate are former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Trump leads the GOP primary with 58% of support, according to Morning Consult poll.

— Brian Schwartz

Trump did not name a single American truck brand as he railed against the Biden administration's efforts to spur an industry-wide transition to electric vehicles and the limits of electric trucks.

Trump, in his speech in Detroit, claimed that electric trucks sell for "peanuts" and have short-lasting batteries.

Those trucks "go for like one-fifth", Trump claimed in his speech in Detroit.

He then appeared to try to contrast those trucks with their traditional-engine counterparts. But the example he picked is not the name of an existing truck brand.

"You take a Powerbuilt or one of the good brands," he said, before saying that electric trucks "go for just a small amount of time compared to a diesel-fired truck."

Powerbuilt is a brand of tools.

— Kevin Breuninger

The political network financed in part by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch is airing a new advertisement taking on President Joe Biden's policies during the second Republican primary debate.

Americans for Prosperity, an organization partially financed by Koch, is running an ad titled "Are you better off?" during the debate at the Reagan Library in California.

The ad, which is set to air on cable markets in Washington, D.C., and on digital platforms across the country during the debate, specifically calls out Biden's economic policies. "Bidenomics is crushing us," a person is seen saying.

The network is also in the midst of opposing former President Donald Trump in separate ads, arguing that if he's the nominee, it will be another four years of Biden.

Emily Seidel, the group's CEO who's featured in the ad, said in a statement that they hope those at the debate focus on policy issues.

"Joe Biden's policies have made life more expensive for everyone, and sadly many Americans report that they are worse off today than they were at the start of the Biden Administration," Seidel said in a statement. "We're hearing from voters that they're looking for a candidate who can tackle these serious economic challenges our country is facing. That's why we're calling on leaders at tonight's debate to focus on the issues that matter most and present their vision for advancing better policies that move our country forward."

— Brian Schwartz

Trump railed against electric vehicles — a major theme of his commentary amid a historic auto workers' strike — in his speech at a nonunion auto parts factory in Detroit.

"They don't go far enough and they're too expensive," Trump said of electric vehicles near the start of his remarks to the crowd of about 300 people, which mostly comprised supporters and workers at Drake Enterprises, the nonunion plant.

Trump's message starkly contrasts with the Biden administration, which has supported transitioning the auto industry away from gas-powered cars.

A roughly 20% chunk of the crowd consisted of United Auto Workers members, according to NBC News.

— Kevin Breuninger

Haley and Ramaswamy turned in noteworthy performances at the first debate that helped propel their campaigns above the middle of the pack.

At the second debate, both candidates are looking to build on that momentum.

Haley, who locked horns with Ramaswamy and threw sharp jabs at Trump and her other opponents, has been on the rise in some recent national polls and surveys of key states.

One poll out this week from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center, for instance, put Haley in second place behind Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire.

Ramaswamy, meanwhile, drew much of the spotlight in the first debate as he was dogpiled by numerous other contenders. The 38-year-old political novice also fired off more attacks than anyone else in that debate.

The post-debate shakeup appears to have cut into DeSantis' once-clear status as the top non-Trump candidate in the GOP race. The most recent Quinnipiac University poll showed DeSantis at 12% nationwide, six points lower than his standing in August and still miles from catching Trump.

— Kevin Breuninger

Outside the Trump rally, small groups of Trump supporters waived flags along a main road, while closer to the factory where the former president will speak was a small drumline with Trump supporters waiving flags nearby.

"Auto Workers for Trump" and "Union Members for Trump" signs were being handed out to attendees and MAGA hats were prevalent in the largely white, older male crowd.

Brian Pannebecker, a retired auto worker who runs a Facebook group called "Auto Workers for Trump, said he assisted in getting current and retired auto workers to the event for the Trump campaign and expects more than 200 people at the event.

Pannebecker, who worked for roughly 35 years at Ford and then at Chrysler, which is now known as Stellantis, said auto workers should vote for Trump because of his efforts with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and his stance on EVs compared to President Joe Biden.

"Donald Trump would not be pushing this EV kind of mandate on the companies or on the consumers," said Pannebecker. "The consumers should be able to decide. Let the companies develop EVs at their own pace and let the government get the infrastructure out there at their own pace as it's practical. ... We shouldn't be forced by the government to buy EVs, and the companies shouldn't be forced by the government to build EVs."

The venue where Trump will speak is an auto parts production facility, which allows little room for the stage or a large audience. It's a significantly smaller venue than Trump's visits to Detroit in years past.

Hundreds of chairs were set up in front of where Trump will speak, with bleachers meant for auto workers on the far left and far right of the stage.

-- Mike Wayland

The Democratic National Committee is launching two anti-GOP advertisements outside the Reagan Library as seven candidates prepare to debate.

The DNC announced Wednesday that they plan to fly an aerial banner around the debate site right up until the start of the event. The banner will say "GOP 2024: A Race For The Extreme MAGA Base," according to the DNC.

The committee, which is supporting President Joe Biden's 2024 reelection effort, also plans to run a mobile billboard around the Reagan Library as the debate takes place.

Similar to the aerial banner, the mobile advertisement tries to link the seven Republican candidates to former President Donald Trump, who is not taking part in tonight's debate.

— Brian Schwartz

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley went on a digital advertisement publishing spree on Wednesday, hours before the second Republican debate in California.

Haley, who will be on the debate stage Wednesday night, published different ads on X and the Meta platforms of Facebook and Instagram. For Haley, tonight's debate could serve as a crucial moment for her to move up in the polls and keep raising enough campaign cash to stay in the race. Former President Donald Trump leads the GOP primary field with 58% of support, while Haley is at 7%, according to a Morning Consult tracker.

Haley's advertisement published on her X page Wednesday morning depicts her as a fighter and not a stranger to taking on what she calls "bullies."

The Haley ads on Meta's platforms that started running Wednesday ask for donors to give at least $7.99, according to the Meta digital ad library. With that, contributors can get a Haley t-shirt.

— Brian Schwartz

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. may not be leading in the Republican primary polls but is going into tonight's debate leading in ad support.

Scott has seen over $51 million through Wednesday in ad support, according to AdImpact.

AdImpact calculated the total amount spent in support of all seven candidates who qualified for the second debate. The totals reflect how much each campaign and outside political action committees have spent on ads in favor of their candidates.

Second to Scott is Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis with $39 million, followed by former President Donald Trump with $27 million in supportive ad spending.

Trump is skipping tonight's debate. He leads the Republican primary field with 58% of support, according to Morning Consult.

-- Brian Schwartz

Trump said he is on his way to Detroit to deliver a speech aimed at blue-collar workers — especially auto workers, thousands of whom are on strike from top carmakers' plants as they demand better pay and hours.

But Trump, who seeks the endorsement of the union leading the strike, will be speaking at a nonunion auto parts factory.

The decision drew condemnation from United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, who called it a "pathetic irony."

"I don't think the man has any bit of care about what our workers stand for, what the working class stands for," Fain said Tuesday night on CNN.

Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing his departure for Michigan, "I LOVE, & WILL SAVE, THE AUTOWORKERS."

He is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. ET at Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township.

Trump is skipping his second straight chance to confront, and be confronted by, his GOP rivals in a live televised debate.

His campaign event is purposely scheduled to counter-program the Republican debate.

— Kevin Breuninger

The second Republican debate for the 2024 GOP primary for president is set to kick off Wednesday night at 9 p.m. Eastern Time from the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

The debate will air on Fox News Channel and Fox Business, as well as through Fox's digital streaming platforms and Rumble.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., have all qualified for the debate.

Former President Donald Trump is skipping the Wednesday night event.

— Brian Schwartz