Donald Trump will NOT be attending…..
The stage is set for the second GOP presidential primary debate — and once again, the frontrunner is nowhere to be seen.
On Monday night, the Republican National Committee confirmed that seven candidates have been invited to Wednesday’s debate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
This stage represents a small winnowing from the first debate last month. All seven candidates participated in August, but one candidate who was on stage then didn’t make the cut this week: former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who did not have the polling needed to qualify for the debate….
…
The debate stage on Wednesday will be mostly similar to the August showdown. But the third debate, which will be in Miami in November, could further winnow the field after the RNC nudged up the participation requirements again. Just four candidates have met the qualification so far, according to POLITICO’s analysis — Trump, DeSantis, Ramaswamy and Haley — although others still have over a month to make it on stage.