Final Republican Debate: Haley and DeSantis Go Head-to-Head

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley will participate in the final Republican debate before the Iowa caucus next week. Both candidates are trailing behind former President Donald Trump in the polls. The Iowa caucus on January 15 will be their first test to secure the Republican presidential nomination for 2024. Although Trump will not be in the debate, he will appear in a Fox News town hall. Trump has boycotted previous debates, which has been successful for him as he holds a significant lead in Iowa. The CNN debate offers DeSantis and Haley, who are currently in second and third place respectively, a final chance to make their case to voters before the caucus. Two other candidates, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie, did not meet the qualifications to participate. Prior to the debate, there was last-minute sparring between DeSantis and Haley, with a pro-Haley ad criticizing DeSantis for allegedly misrepresenting her comments on Gaza, immigration, and Hillary Clinton. A similar attack ad was released in Iowa by a super PAC supporting DeSantis, targeting Haley for her comments about the New Hampshire primary. This debate is crucial for Haley, who recently narrowed Trump's lead in New Hampshire and could become the top alternative to the former president. Haley has distanced herself from Trump's foreign policies and criticized his dealings with China. She presents herself as a more traditional Republican candidate and claims to be more appealing to undecided voters. However, she has faced backlash from Trump and DeSantis. Moreover, Haley's failure to acknowledge that the Civil War was fought over slavery has garnered criticism. On the other hand, DeSantis has aligned himself closely with Trump and campaigned on culture war issues, highlighting his record of combatting "woke" policies in Florida. While once considered a strong alternative choice to Trump, DeSantis has struggled to differentiate himself from the former president. His endorsement from influential leader Bob Van Der Plaats has reassured Iowa voters that supporting DeSantis is still supportive of Trump. DeSantis may have an advantage in Iowa due to his conservative values appealing to the evangelical voter base. However, both candidates will need to exceed expectations to distinguish themselves from Trump and sustain their campaigns.