DES MOINES, Iowa — The Republican primary race is heating up after the first debate took place on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
The two-hour forum allowed eight Republican candidates to share their platforms and face each other head-on, often butting heads on important topics such as abortion, southern border security and the economy.
Local 5 sat down with a political professor to lay out the main takeaways from the first debate as candidates prepare for the second one in late September.
What happened in the first GOP debate?
Drake University political science professor Rachel Paine Caufield told Local 5 there were three clear winners of the debate: former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
However, one question still remains: How will this debate impact the polls overall?
"So, I'm not sure this changes the polls. I'm not sure a lot of people come away from this persuaded to change their mind. I think Donald Trump supporters are Donald Trump supporters. I think the real winner last night was Donald Trump. Nobody emerged as the person who's going to consolidate anti-Trump support and present a big challenge to Trump, at least not at this stage of the race," Caufield said.
During the debate, Ramaswamy emerged as, surprisingly, the most vocal, while Pence used the most airtime toward the end of the forum.
How will this affect the candidates moving forward?
Wednesday's debate was the first impression of the candidates for some voters nationally, but Iowa voters have had the chance to see some of the candidates up close and personal before.
"I think overall for Iowa voters, we've seen these candidates, we have some familiarity with their personalities, how they approach issues, how they talk about their positions, so I'm not sure a lot of Iowans would've seen a lot on stage that would've surprised them. But I think around the country, this really was a way for people to be introduced to these candidates," Caufield said.
With the next Republican debate about one month away and caucus season right around the corner, Caufield says Iowans should continue to pay close attention to the race.
"I think Iowans should do what Iowans always do. Iowans should take the debate as one piece of information; and then spend their time going out, meeting the candidates, asking the questions that they care about, learning everything they can about these people not just from policy perspective, but also getting a feel for who they are," Caufield said.
When is the next debate? Where can I watch?
The second primary Republican debate will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California on Sept. 27, 2024. No specific time has been announced yet.
To watch, viewers can tune in to Fox News, Fox Business Network or Fox's digital streaming platforms, including the Fox website. The Republican National Committee will also livestream the forum on Rumble.
Fox has not yet announced who will moderate the next debate.
Who has qualified for the second GOP debate?
It's not set in stone who will be on the stage again come September, as the requirements for the second forum are a bit harder to reach.
To qualify for the second primary debate White House hopefuls will have to secure 50,000 donors and 3% in two national polls.
Likely candidates on the stage include Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Chris Christie. Trump's his absence at the first round might be repeated for the second, though the former president has made no definitive declaration about it yet.