It doesn香蕉视频直播檛 happen often, but it香蕉视频直播檚 happening tonight: Donald Trump is spurning the chance to appear on prime-time television.

That makes the Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee a rare and perhaps critical opportunity for the bulk of Trump香蕉视频直播檚 rivals to make their case to a national audience 香蕉视频直播� many of them for the first time.

Make no mistake, however, the former president香蕉视频直播檚 presence will be felt.

香蕉视频直播淎s I like to say, he香蕉视频直播檚 in the room whether or not he香蕉视频直播檚 in the room,香蕉视频直播� said Steven D. Cohen, a communications professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in Baltimore, Md.

香蕉视频直播淓ach candidate is trying to have a breakout moment. And whether they get that through an image, an attack or a memorable statement, they have to break out. Because right now Trump is far and away the front-runner.香蕉视频直播�

The rest of them, of course, are decidedly not.

Not even Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the man many observers and supporters had tapped back in January as the heir apparent, only to watch an uninspired, charisma-free campaign drag his poll numbers into the mid-teens.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檒l tell you, he香蕉视频直播檚 got to walk a little bit of a tightrope in how he talks about Trump,香蕉视频直播� Cohen said.

香蕉视频直播淗e has to show that he has the chops, that he has what it takes to take on Joe Biden, but he has to do it without alienating pro-Trump voters 香蕉视频直播� or even without alienating Republicans in general.香蕉视频直播�

Under normal, pre-Trump circumstances, the contest would be all but over. A CBS News poll out this week showed the former president with a commanding 62 per cent lead among likely Republican primary voters.

香蕉视频直播淎s long as Trump commands a solid, committed base, he香蕉视频直播檚 in control,香蕉视频直播� said Mark Rozell, a public policy professor at George Mason University in Arlington, Va.

Through four separate criminal indictments 香蕉视频直播� Trump plans to surrender in Georgia on Wednesday, quashing any post-debate coverage of his rivals 香蕉视频直播� that base has shown no signs of abandoning him, Rozell said.

香蕉视频直播淧arty leaders and donors want nothing more than for Trump to plead a deal and step aside from running,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淕iven Trump香蕉视频直播檚 intense base support, they are not saying out loud that they would like the party to move on. Ultimately, they fear he is not a strong general election candidate and will sink Republicans down-ticket.香蕉视频直播�

For the moment, at least, the polls suggest otherwise. But Trump香蕉视频直播檚 escalating legal challenges also help explain why DeSantis is still in the race.

香蕉视频直播淯nder other circumstances 香蕉视频直播� with donors abandoning him and his polls lagging 香蕉视频直播� DeSantis would depart early and live to fight another day,香蕉视频直播� Rozell said.

香蕉视频直播淕iven that he remains second choice still for many, he has an incentive to stay in the race in case Trump exits.香蕉视频直播�

That puts the man once billed as a Republican Trump-slayer in an unenviable position: polling at a dismal 16 per cent, according to the CBS News poll, and yet likely to be a popular target on the debate stage.

Another hopeful looking to boost his national profile will be Vivek Ramaswamy, a former biotech entrepreneur who likes to channel Trump-style disdain for traditional political guardrails to curry favour with the MAGA set.

The self-described 香蕉视频直播淎merica First conservative香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淎merican nationalist香蕉视频直播� has been polling recently in third place behind Trump and DeSantis, leading a pack of would-be contenders that has yet to crack double digits.

香蕉视频直播淭hree hours of solid debate prep this morning,香蕉视频直播� Ramaswamy said Tuesday on the social media platform X alongside a video of him playing tennis shirtless.

香蕉视频直播淩amaswamy, who is this incredible, upstart, young, telegenic, successful business person, wants to get as much attention as possible,香蕉视频直播� said Cohen.

香蕉视频直播淚 think getting attacked by DeSantis or other candidates, for him, is a great thing, because it only increases his stature.香蕉视频直播�

Chasing Ramaswamy in the CBS poll was former vice-president Mike Pence at five per cent, followed by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott at three per cent.

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who香蕉视频直播檚 not shy about attacking Trump directly, was tied with Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and the only woman in the field, at two per cent.

香蕉视频直播淐hris Christie is the most interesting candidate on the Republican side,香蕉视频直播� Cohen said. 香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 the only one who香蕉视频直播檚 willing to take on Donald Trump head on. He香蕉视频直播檚 willing to say what no other Republican is willing to say. And he香蕉视频直播檚 willing to do that publicly.香蕉视频直播�

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former New Hampshire governor Asa Hutchinson, who round out the debate field, were tied near the bottom of the poll at one per cent each.

A handful of other candidates, including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former Texas congressman Will Hurd, conservative radio personality Larry Elder and Michigan executive Perry Johnson did not qualify to participate.

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