No images? Click here 23 August 2023Your guide to the first Republican presidential primary debateBy Victoria Cooper, Research Editor We are merely hours away from the first presidential primary debate where candidates vying for the 2024 Republican nomination are set to duke it out before millions of voters onstage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Wed 23 Aug 21:00 EDT/ Thurs 24 Aug 11:00 AEST). Donald Trump will not be among the eight qualifying candidates onstage, giving less-recognisable Republican candidates clear (or more like 'clear-er') air to try and topple the current frontrunner, who leads national polls by an average of over 35 percentage points, in his absence. So who are these 'other' Republican candidates, and where do they stand on foreign policy matters like US competition with China, trade in the Indo-Pacific and the US alliance with Australia? United States Studies Centre (USSC) Research Associates Samuel Garrett and Ava Kalinauskas offer answers in their GOP candidate tracker presenting what Australians need to know about the leading Republican candidates, including:
This first debate represents the most significant event in the 2024 presidential campaign cycle so far, but there are still 145 days before the first Republican caucus in Iowa and 440 days before election day. For all your 2024 presidential election coverage, subscribe to USSC coverage including our latest expert analysis, events and podcasts. NEWS WRAPTrilateral ties strengthened at summit
![]() “Strengthening the ties between our democracies has long been a priority for me, dating back to when I was vice president of the United States. That's because our countries are stronger and the world is safer … as we stand together. And I know this is a belief we all three share ” President Biden at start of Camp David Summit | 18 August 2023 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Did you USSC?
BY THE NUMBERS Attention-seeking in the first GOP debateWith front-runner Donald Trump skipping the first Republican primary debate, the event (whose 2015 equivalent amassed 24 million watchers) is the perfect opportunity for the eight other leading Republican candidates to creep out from under Trump’s media dominance, boost their name recognition and set themselves apart in the crowded primary field. Yet, a recent CBS News/ YouGov poll finds that some attention-seeking strategies might work better with Republican primary voters than others. The polling’s topline finding showed 91 per cent of Republican voters want Trump’s opponents to “make the case for themselves” rather than “make the case against Trump” during the first debate. The finding may well serve as a rebuke for candidates like former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who was booed at a Republican convention in June 2023 when he said “I'm running because [Trump has] let us down” and has set himself apart in the field so far by deriding the former president as “an ugly, divisive, horrible figure.” Indeed, any candidate seeking to leverage Trump’s recent legal woes to get ahead in the debate should heed the warning offered by the polling, which shows 77 per cent of likely GOP primary voters think the latest Georgia state indictment is “politically motivated.” Perhaps throwing bombs at the former president might just earn candidates the votes of some undecideds or more moderate Republicans unimpressed by the former president. In fact, around 42 per cent of those who voted for Trump in 2020 and say they are considering candidates other than Trump in 2024, indicated that Trump’s controversies are a reason they are considering alternatives. Yet, the reality remains that prising away Trump’s supporters, a necessary step to secure the nomination, will be a significant challenge for all the ‘other’ candidates. Among the more surprising findings in the poll — Trump voters are more likely to say that they believe what Trump tells them is true (71 per cent), than their friends and family (63 per cent), conservative media figures (56 per cent) or religious leaders (42 per cent). To help prepare for the next Republican showdown, listen to the latest episode of USSC Briefing Room podcast, and for more analysis after the debate, register to watch us at the University of Sydney from 6pm on 24 August 2023 for our next event: ‘The GOP debate breakdown: What just happened?’ EVENT The GOP debate breakdown: What just happened?Tomorrow, Republican presidential candidates will gather in Milwaukee for the biggest event of the 2024 election cycle so far: the first Republican presidential debate. With the power to make or break the candidates jockeying to stand out in the crowded GOP field, the first debate is a critical step in deciding who will ultimately face off against likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election. While the stage may be set, much remains unknown. The United States Studies Centre invites you to a public forum featuring USSC politics experts Associate Professor David Smith, Senior Lecturer Dr Gorana Grgic and Research Editor Victoria Cooper in conversation with Director of Research Jared Mondschein. TYPE COST Manage your email preferences | Forward this email to a friend United States Studies Centre |