The fourth GOP presidential debate is set to take place on Wednesday, December 6, at 8 pm ET on NewsNation, which is hosting the event live at the University of Alabama. The moderators will be former Fox News and NBC host Megyn Kelly, NewsNation anchor Elizabeth Vargas, and Washington Free Beacon editor-in-chief Eliana Johnson.
The RNC has confirmed that Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy have qualified to participate in the debate, but they are yet to confirm Chris Christie, although his campaign claims to have met all the requirements.
With just six weeks until the Iowa Caucus, this debate is sure to be both substantive and fiery.
1. Megyn Kelly Will Bring the Heat
Under Megyn Kelly’s moderation, the candidates will likely face tough questions that will truly test their mettle. Anybody who has watched The Megyn Kelly Show knows that she has a penetrating manner and is eager to challenge those seeking to become the next president of the United States. Therefore, the candidates will likely face greater scrutiny in this presidential debate than in previous ones, where the moderation was, at best, relaxed.
In fact, Kelly has been critical of the moderators of previous debates, often commenting on their unserious questions and failure to maintain order in the midst of cross-talking.
She has been openly supportive of Governor Ron DeSantis, even hosting him for a long-form interview on her show. As far as Vivek Ramaswamy, Kelly has both attacked and defended him – so we can be on the lookout for one or two exchanges between these two firebrands.
This is the first presidential debate that Megyn Kelly is moderating since 2015 when she infamously asked Donald Trump about his demeaning comments towards women – only for the New York billionaire to cheekily respond, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.”
While we can, at this point, only speculate about the entertainment value of Wednesday night’s debate, it would be safe to assume that this will be the most policy-heavy one to date.
2. Haley and DeSantis Tussle
Despite this race being for second place, at this point, given Donald Trump’s significant lead, Nikki Haley’s mild surge has come at the perfect time. She has been gaining more momentum in Iowa than DeSantis has and is the clear second choice in New Hampshire.
For this reason, both candidates are looking to consolidate the rest of the field’s support, hoping both Christie and Ramaswamy will make a swift exit. The field has winnowed from eight candidates, which included Tim Scott and Vice President Mike Pence. Trump’s support within the Republican coalition currently ranges from the low-50s to the mid-60s, leaving a substantial portion of voters up for grabs. It would not be a surprise to see Haley and DeSantis go after each other in an attempt to demonstrate who is the superior candidate to challenge Trump.
It may be that Nikki Haley has a slight advantage in this debate. Thanks to her experience as U.N. Ambassador, she has taken up the mantle of the foreign policy expert in the race. With multiple crises happening around the world, including in the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe, she is likely to have the opportunity to showcase her expertise on these matters, which the other candidates lack.
Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, is considered by many Republicans to be the most competent governor in the nation, giving him a slight edge over Haley on the domestic front. His focus on reviving the economy and eliminating the Mexican drug cartels signals to voters that he could be the more “America first” candidate in his policy priorities.
But with Kelly moderating, every candidate will need to be on the alert lest they strike out looking.
3. Plan to Take on Trump
The final thing to look out for in this presidential debate is the 800-pound gorilla in the room: what is each candidate’s plan to overcome the massive 40+ point gap in support to win the Republican nomination over Trump?
Despite the hype around Haley’s growing support in New Hampshire and DeSantis gaining in Iowa, we could still see Donald Trump sweep all 50 states in the primary.
It is unlikely the moderators will beat around the bush this time. Non-Trump-supporting Republican voters need to know exactly how their preferred candidate expects to win.
Although the candidates on stage may not say it outright, be watchful for any hints of Trump’s legal battles and the possibility that he could be convicted in any of his cases.
In that scenario, all bets are off.
