United States: The first head-to-head debate will take place between Republican presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley on Wednesday, seeking to emerge as the clear alternative to former president Donald Trump in the campaign for the party’s White House selection.
DeSantis and Haley have little time left to prevent Trump’s march to the nomination, with the former president leading opinion polls only five days before voting begins in Iowa on Monday, according to Reuters.
Intensifying Attacks and Close Contest in Key States
In their battle to become Trump’s sole adversary, Haley and DeSantis have intensified their attacks on each other in recent days and are set to launch fiery salvos during the CNN debate, which begins at 9 pm ET (0200 GMT).
Survey Results and Trump’s Shadow
Two surveys released on Tuesday showed Haley eroding Trump’s advantage in New Hampshire, the second state to choose its Republican nominee, where a primary will be conducted on January 23. Polling averages show DeSantis lagging in fourth place there, while he and Haley are almost tied for second place in Iowa.
After other contenders failed to qualify, Wednesday’s prime-time debate in Des Moines will allow Haley, who served as Trump’s United Nations ambassador, and DeSantis, the governor of Florida, to draw the sharpest contrasts between themselves yet.
Trump’s Strategy and Rival Event
Former president Donald Trump will be a tough contender in one-on-one matches; in order to face him, beating each other out for second place in Iowa will be critical. Democratic President Joe Biden is expected to take the Republican nominee position in November’s election, the news agency Reuters noted.
Closing In on Trump: The Final Push
“The debate will be their last and best chance to tell Iowa caucus-goers why they deserve to be the alternative to former President Trump and why they should have a head-to-head shot at him,” said Jimmy Centers, an Iowa-based Republican strategist unaffiliated with a campaign.
Trump will again skip the fifth debate in the nominating campaign. He will hold a rival event, a Fox News town hall, at the same time and location in Des Moines, Iowa’s capital.
Trump’s Iowa campaign has been significantly more planned and well-staffed than his 2016 effort when he finished second to US Senator Ted Cruz.
Trump has mainly skipped smaller, more intimate gatherings in bars and school gyms, which have long been a mainstay of Iowa campaigns, instead relying on loyalists to host such events as he headlines large rallies.
His campaign collects personal information at the gatherings, which enables follow-up calls and texts to remind supporters to attend the caucuses. Meanwhile, DeSantis’ campaign is relying heavily on a strong showing in Iowa. He has visited all 99 counties, courting evangelical Christian voters, a sizable voting bloc in the state.
Haley has pitched Iowa voters on her more pragmatic approach to topics like abortion, as well as her hawkish foreign policy, which contrasts with Trump and DeSantis’ isolationist stances. When asked to comment on the discussion, a Haley official referred to Trump rather than DeSantis.
“With the debate stage down to just two, the time for Donald Trump’s hiding is just about over,” spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said.