Fox News' Dana Perino, a Wyoming native, will co-moderate the second presidential debate

Sep. 25—CHEYENNE — Folks may not expect a national TV personality to come from the small, humble town of Evanston, but residents there have at least one claim to fame, and that is Fox News Channel's Dana Perino.

Perino and Fox News co-host Stuart Valley, alongside UNIVISION's Ilia Calderón, are the chosen moderators for the second GOP presidential primary debate in Simi Valley, California. The debate will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m. Mountain time at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Perino has worked as a political commentator and news anchor for Fox News Channel since 2009, where she recently contributed to the channel's political coverage of the 2022 midterm election, as well as the 2020 presidential election. Before joining FNC, Perino served under President George W. Bush as the first female White House press secretary for a Republican administration.

On Monday, Perino took questions from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, both by phone and via email.

WTE: What do you look forward to most about visiting Simi Valley, outside of moderating the second presidential debate?

Perino: "I love the setting of Simi Valley — the Reagan Library was deliberately set in one of the most beautiful places in America. And the entire museum is filled with history, well-told with wonderful photographs, inspirational quotations and interactive exhibits. It is definitely worth a visit, so put it on your bucket list. The weather is perfect in late September, too!

"I'm also looking forward to the night after the debate when Peter and I leave for Spain to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Lots of big milestones this year in my career and personal life!"

Outside of keeping in touch with your family, how do you keep close to your Wyoming roots?

"I gravitate toward news in the state, though I find that keeping in touch with family is a great way to know what's going on out there. And recently I interviewed the mayor of Casper. I was surprised to learn that there's a growing homeless population there. He's rightly concerned about that and working on a solution. He has more in common with NYC Mayor Eric Adams than he may have thought."

How has your career as a political commentator best prepared you for role as moderator?

"I've been the one answering questions as the White House press secretary and asking questions as a journalist. I have an insatiable appetite for news of all kinds. I love this country fiercely — and that really started on the ranch in Newcastle. I remember when my grandmother would lay out my grandfather's clothes that he would change into after morning chores to head to a county commissioner meeting. He wore a bolo tie. You gotta respect that!"

There are six presidential candidates set to be on stage for the second GOP primary debate. What chance do they have to compete against former President Donald Trump, who continues to poll way ahead?

"This second debate, in my opinion, is where the rubber meets the road for a lot of these campaigns. The first debate allowed these candidates to introduce themselves to Americans and GOP primary voters. And there was no real breakout star or moment, even though I would say Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy probably got the biggest bump out of that debate. There was no real movement.

"The candidates here need to show not only that they would be an alternative, but, more importantly, they need to show that one of them has the ability to be (former) President Trump's main rival. Trump's lead is so high that no one in the second debate will upend completely his lead. But they could eat into it, especially for those early states that vote in less than four months, Iowa and New Hampshire."

Trump skipped the first presidential debate and recently announced he will not attend the second. What difference, if any, would it make if he chose to participate in these debates?

"In terms of viewership, there's great interest.

"What's interesting is that, in some ways, I think a lot of people believed that the most drama at this stage in the race would be on the Republican side. But in the last two weeks, the drama on the Democratic side of the aisle has really ratcheted up, with even Democrats now wondering if President Biden and Kamala Harris should be their nominee.

"I think that GOP primary voters would benefit from seeing how (Trump) would compare and contrast to the other candidates who believe that they would be a better commander-in-chief and leader of the free world. This is a debate where you are interviewing with the viewers to be the CEO of America. And he's decided not to attend. And I believe in the Serenity Prayer, and I don't try to change things I cannot control. So we are focusing on these candidates."

Overall, what message do you have for Wyoming voters?

"Well, I loved being born there.

"I went to elementary school and high school in Denver, and my dad made me read the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post every evening before he got home from work, starting in the third grade, and that was during Ronald Reagan's presidency. So the fact that this debate is at the Reagan Library, and I get to talk about the issues that matter to me, and, in particular, those people of Wyoming ... I will try very hard to make sure that it is clear that I have not forgotten where I came from."

Hannah Shields is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's state government reporter. She can be reached at 307-633-3167 or hshields@wyomingnews.com. You can follow her on X @happyfeet004.