The fifth debate for the 2024 United States presidential election, focused on the Republican Party, is happening soon. This debate, set for Wednesday, spotlights only two candidates: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations envoy Nikki Haley.

This event marks the smallest participation yet in the 2024 race's primary debates. It's happening shortly before the Iowa caucuses on January 15, which marks the start of the US primary season.

The upcoming caucuses present a crucial chance to understand the mood of the American voters. However, the contest for the Republican nomination has been relatively quiet this year. Recent polls indicate that former President Donald Trump continues to lead significantly.

Nonetheless, the caucuses will provide an official measure of Trump's support compared to his Republican rivals.

Trump's challengers hope that performing well in Iowa, along with their appearance on the debate stage in Des Moines on Wednesday night, will bolster their campaigns and lessen the lead held by the former president.

What to Expect from the Fifth Republican Debate
Notable figures like Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who drew attention in previous debates, did not qualify for this one. To participate, candidates needed to achieve "at least 10 percent in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucus-goers or primary voters," as stated by CNN.

Haley and DeSantis have been in a close race in recent national polls, although both are trailing significantly behind Trump. The event on Wednesday, scheduled to begin at 8 pm local time (02:00 GMT), gives these two candidates an opportunity to directly address each other.

Will Trump Join the Debate Stage?
Although Trump qualified to participate in the Iowa debate, he chose not to attend, continuing his pattern of skipping every Republican primary debate in the 2024 season.

Instead, the former president will take part in a town hall interview hosted by Fox News in Des Moines, happening simultaneously with the debate. Critics view this as a deliberate strategy by Trump to divert viewers' attention from his rivals' events.

Trump defends his decision by citing his substantial lead in the Republican race, indicating that he doesn't need to participate in the debates. However, he faces criticism from fellow Republicans for this choice.

"I wish Donald Trump would show up to that debate," commented DeSantis during an appearance on the Fox News show MediaBuzz. "He’s going to be in Iowa. He could show up and debate and have to answer questions. And he just chooses not to do that."

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