Eight Republicans prepare for primary debate overshadowed by Trump absence

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00:00 The stage is set for the eight candidates that will take part in the GOP primary TV

00:05 debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

00:08 They are vying to be the choice in the race for the White House a whole five months before

00:12 the primary voting begins.

00:15 The candidates include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

00:21 Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum,

00:28 South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Governor

00:34 Asa Hutchinson, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

00:38 The big absentee is the former President Donald Trump, who dominates the field, polling well

00:45 ahead of all of them.

00:48 The latest average in polling, as seen on the FiveThirtyEight website, shows that Donald

00:53 Trump has 52.2 percent support, that's ahead of DeSantis at 14.5 percent and Ramaswamy

01:00 at 8.9 percent.

01:03 Trump's absence is defining the debate moment.

01:07 Over the weekend, Trump made his decision official, saying on social media that he wouldn't

01:13 participate in the debate and might not participate in other debates scheduled later in the cycle.

01:19 Trump's rivals in the debate will be asked about his indictments.

01:23 So far they have largely defended him, or at least avoided overt criticism.

01:27 A pre-taped interview with him is expected to be posted online as the TV debate is happening.

01:33 Attention will focus too on a major event in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, when Trump

01:38 will turn himself into a county jail over his latest indictment.

01:43 In all, the favorite to win the GOP nomination faces four criminal trials and more than 90

01:48 Felony counts.

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