What time does the Republican presidential debate start? We have a full breakdown of the GOP event

Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·4 min read
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MADISON - Milwaukee will host the first Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday night.

While former President Donald Trump is skipping the event, eight other candidates have qualified and take the stage.

Here's what we know about the debate format and who will appear onstage.

More: How to watch the first Republican presidential debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee

More: What you need to know about the Aug. 23 Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee

How long is the debate?

The debate will last around two hours. It will begin at 8 p.m. Milwaukee time and wrap up around 10.

Will candidates give opening statements?

Candidates won't give opening statements, though they will have 45 seconds for closing remarks, according to the format details obtained by Semafor.

How long will candidates talk?

Candidates will have one minute to answer a question and 30 seconds for follow-up questions.

What kind of debate is it?

All signs point to the first debate in Milwaukee following a traditional format, where candidates answer questions from moderators.

Other types of debates include the town hall, during which candidates take questions from audience members. Candidates may also speak at forums that are hosted by private organizations, not political parties.

Who will ask the questions?

Fox News anchors Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier are co-moderating the debate.

Semafor reported that some of the questions will involve "sound or video, including pre-taped questions submitted by students" through the Young America's Foundation, which is a partner of the debate.

The group, which organizes young conservatives, is headed by former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Republicans are trying to make inroads with college-age voters, who have overwhelmingly turned out for liberals in recent statewide elections.

How many questions will be asked?

It's not clear at this point whether each candidate will have a chance to answer every question, or if candidates will be asked separate, specific questions about the issues.

At the early Republican primary debates in 2016, questions were posed to individual candidates about issues like abortion and foreign policy. For the first few debates, so many candidates ran that the group was split and debates were aired separately. Twelve debates and nine forums were held during the Republican primary that cycle.

What is the 'spin room'?

Candidates or their campaign representatives also make themselves available after the debate to meet with reporters and attempt to "spin" their performances.

Reporters and networks may conduct and air interviews from the spin room after the main debate event wraps up.

Who will be onstage?

While Trump plans to skip the debate and instead participate in an online interview with Tucker Carlson, eight other candidates have qualified and will appear onstage.

  • Ron DeSantis

  • Nikki Haley

  • Tim Scott

  • Vivek Ramaswamy

  • Chris Christie

  • Doug Burgum

  • Mike Pence

  • Asa Hutchinson

Candidates will be placed onstage according to polling, with the highest polling candidate in the center.

A few other candidates failed to meet the requirements, including Texas Rep. Will Hurd, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and radio host Larry Elder. Candidates had until 48 hours before the debate to meet the criteria.

Do candidates need to sign a pledge?

Yes. Those who attend the Milwaukee debate must sign a series of pledges, including a promise to support the eventual Republican nominee.

Some candidates, including Christie and Hutchinson, have criticized the pledge or suggested they won't follow it. Trump said Wednesday he wouldn't sign the pledge in an interview with Newsmax.

Is this the only Republican debate?

No. The Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee is only the first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle. Fox Business will host a second debate Sept. 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

The qualifications to participate in that debate are tightened from the Milwaukee debate. A candidate will need 50,000 individual contributors, up from 40,000. A candidate also needs to poll at least 3% in two national polls or one national poll and two early-voting state polls, up from 1%.

In addition to letting voters hear from candidates about issues and allowing them to compare choices, debates also give candidates trailing in the polls opportunities to break out.

More debates will likely be announced ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which takes place July 15-18, 2024. Fiserv Forum will be the centerpiece of the convention, and the site of the debate.

Will the candidates attend a town hall?

Moms for Liberty, designated as an extremist antigovernment organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center, had planned a town hall with unnamed presidential candidates earlier on Aug. 23. That event has since been canceled.

The group will instead host a discussion with Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson that afternoon at the Pfister Hotel, which will focus on Wisconsin students' proficiency in reading and math.

Tyler Katzenberger of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What time does GOP presidential debate on Fox News, livestream start?