Republican presidential primary debate (November 8, 2023)
Date: November 5, 2024  |
2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
The Republican Party held a presidential primary debate in Miami, Florida, on November 8, 2023. It was the third Republican primary debate scheduled for the 2024 presidential election.
Five candidates met the polling and fundraising thresholds and signed several Republican National Committee pledges to qualify by the November 6 deadline. For a more detailed overview of the debate qualification criteria, click here.
This page provides an overview of the hosts, venue, moderators, qualifications, and participants.
Click here for a summary of the second Republican presidential primary debate on September 27, 2023.
Click here for a summary of the fourth Republican presidential primary debate on December 6, 2023.
Debate overview
Video
By the numbers
Candidate highlights
This section includes highlights for each presidential candidate with a focus on policy. The following paraphrased statements were compiled from debate transcripts. A candidate's opponents are generally not mentioned in his or her summary unless there was a significant exchange between them.
Chris Christie discussed Donald Trump, the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism and Islamophobia, the Russia-Ukraine war, China, the economy, Social Security, opioids, and abortion. Christie said Trump would be more focused on staying out of jail than leading the Republican Party or the country. Christie said America should support Israel’s territorial integrity and safety, coordinate with Israel to improve its military intelligence, and isolate Iran. Christie said as a district attorney after 9/11 he coordinated law enforcement to protect both Jewish and Muslim people from hate crimes. Christie said America should stand with Ukraine as a fellow democracy. On China, Christie said he would invest in nuclear submarines for deterrence and that he would ban TikTok in his first week. Christie said he would improve the economy by investing in American energy production to drive prices down. He said supporting Israel would prevent countries like Saudi Arabia from driving up energy prices under the pretense of a crisis in the Middle East. Christie said he would raise the retirement age by a few years and exclude the very wealthy from benefits, but not raise taxes, to make Social Security solvent. Christie said to address opioids he would invest in law enforcement technology at ports of entry, send the National Guard to assist Customs and Border Patrol agents, and increase addiction treatment. Christie said abortion policy should be left to the states, and that Republicans should support policies like addiction treatment to be pro-life for an individual’s entire life. Christie was the least active participant in the debate, speaking for 16.3 minutes.
Ron DeSantis discussed Donald Trump, Republican electoral performance, the Israel-Hamas war, Iran, antisemitism, the Russia-Ukraine war, China, Venezuela, the economy, Social Security, opioids, and abortion. DeSantis said Trump increased the national debt and did not build the border wall or drain the swamp. DeSantis said the national Republican Party is weak, and Florida showed the party how to get the job done. DeSantis said Israel should eliminate Hamas, and that America should support Israel in defending itself. On Iran, DeSantis said America should not put troops in harm’s way unless it is prepared to fully defend them. DeSantis said he would have the Department of Justice investigate colleges for civil rights violations related to antisemitism, cancel visas for foreign students who make common cause with Hamas, and ban pro-Hamas groups from college campuses. DeSantis said he would not send troops to the Russia-Ukraine war. DeSantis said America needs to invest in its military to combat China. He said America must defend against Chinese economic and cultural influence in the United States. DeSantis said he would ban TikTok. DeSantis said America should not rely on Venezuela for oil. He said America should prioritize energy independence by reducing regulation and opposing Green New Deal policies. DeSantis said he would reduce inflation and federal spending to keep Social Security solvent. DeSantis said that to address opioids he would send the military to the southern border, tax foreign workers' remittances to fund a wall, and authorize deadly force against cartels. DeSantis said he believed in a culture of life and that the pro-life movement needs to work from the ground up to win at the state level. DeSantis was the fourth-most active participant in the debate, speaking for 16.3 minutes.
Nikki Haley discussed Donald Trump, the Israel-Hamas war, Iran, antisemitism, the Russia-Ukraine war, China, Venezuela, the economy, Social Security, opioids, and abortion. Haley criticized Trump for his stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and for increasing the national debt. Haley said America should support Israel with whatever they need, and that Israel should eliminate Hamas and bring the hostages home. Haley said Iran responds to strength, and the U.S. should take out the infrastructure Iran is using to strike American troops. Haley said we should treat antisemitism like we treat the Ku Klux Klan. Haley said Ukraine is fighting for democracy, America should give Ukraine the equipment it needs, and we cannot repeat the mistakes of the Afghanistan withdrawal. Haley said America needs to focus military investment in cyber, artificial intelligence, and space to compete with China. She said America should stop land sales to China and prevent China from donating to universities. Haley said to improve the economy she would eliminate the federal gas and diesel tax, lower spending to pre-COVID levels, go after COVID funding fraud, and make America energy dominant. Haley said to keep Social Security solvent she would increase the retirement age for young people and exclude wealthy people from benefits. On opioids, Haley said she would end trade relations with China until they stop importing the chemicals to make fentanyl, use special operations to take out cartels, increase Border Patrol and ICE agents, defund sanctuary cities, and implement a catch-and-deport policy. She also said she would invest in mental health and addiction centers. Haley said she supported finding federal consensus on late-term abortion, adoption, contraception, and protecting women from criminal punishment for seeking an abortion. Haley was the second-most active participant in the debate, speaking for 18 minutes.
Vivek Ramaswamy discussed Republican electoral performance, the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism, the Russia-Ukraine war, China, the economy, opioids, and abortion. Ramaswamy said the Republican Party had become a party of losers and said the moderators and media rigged the 2016 and 2020 elections. Ramaswamy said Israel had a right and responsibility to defend itself, and said America should not become overly involved in foreign conflicts and repeat past Republican mistakes. Ramaswamy said antisemitism was a symptom of a lost nation that he would address through leadership not censorship. Ramaswamy said Ukraine is not a paragon of democracy, and that the U.S. should stop providing aid to the country. Ramaswamy said America was overly reliant on China for manufacturing, that America should ban China from purchasing U.S. land and funding universities, ban U.S. businesses from operating in China or sharing data with Chinese companies, and hold China financially accountable for the coronavirus pandemic. Ramaswamy said to improve the economy he would increase U.S. energy production, reduce unemployment benefits, and lift land-use restrictions. Ramaswamy said to keep Social Security solvent he would reduce spending on foreign wars, use zero-based budgeting, shrink the federal workforce, eliminate redundant federal agencies, and lift regulations. Ramaswamy said to address opioids he would send the military to the southern border, and build walls at the southern and northern borders. Ramaswamy said he was pro-life and that Republicans should improve access to contraception and adoption, and promote sexual responsibility for men. Ramaswamy was the third-most active participant in the debate, speaking for 17.6 minutes.
Tim Scott discussed Republican electoral performance, the Israel-Hamas war, Iran, antisemitism, the Russia-Ukraine war, China, parental rights, the economy, Social Security, opioids, and abortion. Scott said the Republican Party needs to attract more independent, Black, and Latino voters, and the country needs to return to faith and Christian values. Scott said Israel has a right and responsibility to destroy Hamas. He said he would tell President Biden that America must strike in Iran to stop attacks on military personnel. Scott said he would end federal funding for any university allowing antisemitism, and rescind visas for any foreign students encouraging Jewish genocide. Scott said he supported increased funding for Ukraine as long as there was transparency about how the money was being spent. He said supporting Ukraine helped degrade the Russian military and prevent American troops from being sent to the region due to NATO obligations. Scott said America could create jobs by investing in both the military and domestic industry. Scott said he would ban TikTok and criticized China for buying U.S. farmland and stealing intellectual property. Scott said he would bring prices down by building the Keystone pipeline, investing in American energy and infrastructure, and creating millions of new jobs. Scott said to keep Social Security solvent he would reduce spending to pre-coronavirus levels and grow the economy, but not raise the retirement age. Scott said to address opioids he would close the southern border, surveil it with military technology, impose economic sanctions on Mexican drug cartels, and deal with the U.S. mental health crisis. Scott said he was 100% pro-life, supported a 15-week federal abortion ban, and supported increased funding for adoption and crisis pregnancy centers. Scott was the most active participant in the debate, speaking for 18.9 minutes.
Who qualified?
On September 25, 2023, the Republican National Committee said the following candidates qualified for the third Republican primary debate:[1]
- Chris Christie (R)
- Ron DeSantis (R)
- Nikki Haley (R)
- Tim Scott (R)
- Vivek Ramaswamy (R)
Former President Donald Trump (R) said he would not attend the debate, instead planning to hold a campaign rally in Hialeah, Florida.[2]
Doug Burgum (R) was the only candidate who qualified for the previous debate, but did not qualify for this one. Mike Pence (R), who withdrew from the race on October 28, also did not appear in the third debate after qualifying for the second.
Venue
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced in October 2023 that the third Republican presidential primary debate would be held in Miami, Florida, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.[3]
NBC News and Rumble broadcasted the debate live on November 8, 2023. McDaniel said, "The partners for our third debate will offer our candidates an excellent opportunity to meet the moment and contrast their plans and vision with the failures of the Biden White House."[4]
Qualifications
Candidate status
A candidate had to meet the constitutional requirements to be eligible, have declared their candidacy, and have active statements of candidacy and organization filed with the Federal Election Commission.[5]
Polling
No later than 48 hours before the debate, a candidate must have received 4 percent support or more in two national polls, or 4 percent support in one national poll and two early state polls—Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada. Recognized polls were required to survey at least 800 likely Republican voters through a mix of polling methods, not overly weight any individual cohort more than the poll's margin of error, ask the presidential preference question before any other than might skew an individual's response, and not be conducted through a candidate or candidate committee.[5]
Fundraising
Candidates had to also provide verifiable evidence that they had 70,000 unique campaign donors, with at least 200 unique donors from 20 different states or territories.[5]
Candidate pledge
Candidates were required to sign pledges agreeing to the following no later than 48 hours prior to the debate:
- Not participate in any debates not sanctioned by the RNC for the rest of the election cycle
- Support the eventual party nominee
- Participate in the RNC data-sharing agreement
Republican presidential primary debates, 2023-2024
The following table provides an overview of the date, location, host, and number of participants in each scheduled 2024 Republican presidential primary debate.
| 2024 Republican presidential primary debates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debate | Date | Location | Host | Number of participants |
| First Republican primary debate | August 23, 2023 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin[6] | Fox News[7] | 8 |
| Second Republican primary debate | September 27, 2023 | Simi Valley, California[8] | Fox Business, Univision | 7 |
| Third Republican primary debate | November 8, 2023 | Miami, Florida[9] | NBC News, Salem Radio Network | 5 |
| Fourth Republican primary debate | December 6, 2023 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama[10] | NewsNation, The Megyn Kelly Show, the Washington Free Beacon | 4 |
| On December 7, 2023, CNN reported the RNC would lift its ban on non-RNC sanctioned debates.[11] | ||||
| Fifth Republican primary debate | January 10, 2024 | Des Moines, Iowa[11] | CNN | TBD |
| Sixth Republican primary debate | January 18, 2024 | Manchester, New Hampshire[12] | ABC News, WMUR-TV, New Hampshire Republican State Committee | TBD |
| Seventh Republican primary debate | January 21, 2024 | Goffstown, New Hampshire[11] | CNN | TBD |
Republican primary debate participation, 2023
Historical analysis, 2016-2024
The section below provides analysis of presidential primary debate participation in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Number of debates and participants
Participation by presidential nominees
The table below indicates whether the Democratic or Republican Party presidential nominees participated in each presidential primary debate in 2016 and 2020.
The 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden (D), and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton (D), both participated in all of the primary debates during their respective election cycles.
Donald Trump (R), the 2016 Republican presidential nominee, did not participate in the seventh Republican primary debate that cycle. At the time, Trump's campaign said, "Unlike the very stupid, highly incompetent people running our country into the ground, Mr. Trump knows when to walk away. Roger Ailes and FOX News think they can toy with him, but Mr. Trump doesn’t play games."[13]
Trump also declined to attend a primary debate originally scheduled for March 21, 2016. Former Ohio Governor John Kasich (R), who was also running for the nomination, said he wouldn't attend if Trump didn't, leaving Ted Cruz (R) as the only active candidate who said he would participate. The debate was subsequently canceled.[14]
| Presidential nominee primary debate participation, 2016-2020 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Nominee | First debate | Second debate | Third debate | Fourth debate | Fifth debate | Sixth debate | Seventh debate | Eighth debate | Ninth debate | Tenth debate | Eleventh debate | Twelfth debate |
| 2020 | Joe Biden (D) |  |
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N/A |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton (D) | |
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N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2016 | Donald Trump (R) | |
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Primary debate criteria, 2016-2024
The table below provides an overview of the polling and fundraising criteria for the first five primary debates in 2016, 2020, and 2024
| Primary debate criteria, 2016-2024 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | First debate | Second debate | Third debate | Fourth debate | Fifth debate | ||||||||
| 2024 Republican primary | Polling: 1% support in three national polls, or 1% support in two national polls and one early state poll; and Fundraising: 40,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 states. |
Polling: 3% support in two national polls, or 3% support in one national poll and two early state polls; and Fundraising: 50,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 states. | Polling: 4% support in two national polls, or 4% support in one national poll and two early state polls; and Fundraising: 70,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 states. | Polling: 6% support in two national polls, or 6% support in two early state polls; and Fundraising: 80,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 states. | Polling: 10% support in three national or Iowa polls | ||||||||
| 2020 Democratic primary | Polling: 1% support in three national or early state polls; or Fundraising: 65,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 states.[15] | Polling: 2% support in four national or early state polls; or Fundraising: 130,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 400 unique donors per state in at least 20 states.[16] | Polling: 3% support in four national or early state polls, or 5% support in at least two early state polls; or Fundraising: 165,000 unique campaign donors, with a minimum of 600 unique donors per state in at least 20 states. | ||||||||||
| 2016 Democratic primary | Polling: 1% support in three national polls[17] | ||||||||||||
| 2016 Republican primary | Polling: 10 highest-polling candidates in 5 most recent recognized national polls | Polling: 1% support in three national polls | Polling: Average of 3% in six recognized national polls[18] | Polling: Average of 2.5% in four recognized national polls.[19] | Polling: In recognized polls, receive an average of 3.5%, or 4% in either Iowa or New Hampshire.[20] | ||||||||
See also
- Republican presidential primary debate (December 6, 2023)
- Republican presidential primary debate (September 27, 2023)
- Presidential candidates, 2024
- Democratic presidential nomination, 2024
- Republican presidential nomination, 2024
- Presidential debates, 2020
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
Footnotes
- ↑ Republican National Committee, "RNC ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS FOR THIRD DEBATE IN MIAMI," November 6, 2023
- ↑ 'Trump's campaign website, "45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump to Hold a Rally in Hialeah, Florida," October 20, 2023
- ↑ Republican National Committee, "RNC TO PARTNER WITH NBC NEWS, SALEM RADIO NETWORK, REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION, AND RUMBLE FOR THIRD REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE IN MIAMI," October 16, 2023
- ↑ Republican National Committee, "RNC TO PARTNER WITH NBC NEWS, SALEM RADIO NETWORK, REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION, AND RUMBLE FOR THIRD REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE IN MIAMI," October 16, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Hill, "RNC raises threshold to qualify for third GOP debate," September 22, 2023
- ↑ The Hill, "RNC votes to hold first presidential debate in Milwaukee," February 23, 2023
- ↑ Fox News, "Fox News will host first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate in Milwaukee," April 12, 2023
- ↑ The Hill, "McDaniel announces California will host second GOP debate for 2024," April 20, 2023
- ↑ Reuters, "Third Republican primary debate to be in Miami in early November," September 14, 2023
- ↑ Associated Press, "Qualification markers grow even tougher for next month’s 4th GOP presidential debate, in Alabama," November 3, 2023
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 CNN, "CNN to host two GOP presidential primary debates in 2024," December 7, 2023
- ↑ ABC News, "ABC News to host GOP presidential debate before New Hampshire primary," December 7, 2023
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump says he won’t participate in GOP debate on Fox News," January 26, 2016
- ↑ NBC News, "2016 GOP Debate Cancelled After Trump Says He Won't Attend," March 16, 2016
- ↑ The first and second primary debates had the same qualification criteria.
- ↑ The third and fourth primary debates had the same qualification criteria.
- ↑ The first through fifth primary debates had the same qualification criteria.
- ↑ This is the criteria for the 8:00 p.m. debate. The 6:00 p.m. debate required candidates to have 1% in any one of the recognized polls.
- ↑ This is the criteria for the 9:00 p.m. debate. The 7:00 p.m. debate required candidates to have 1% in any one of the recognized polls.
- ↑ This is the criteria for the 8:30 p.m. debate. The 6:00 p.m. debate required candidates to have 1% in four separate national, Iowa, or New Hampshire recognized polls.
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