The GOP hopefuls take the debate stage for the third time

WAMU 88.5 | By Maya Garg

Published November 9, 2023 at 8:31 AM EST

TOPSHOT - A billboard for the third Republican presidential primary debate is seen at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida on November 7, 2023. Five Republican candidates will take part in the third debate, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador Nikki Haley, former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and US Senator from South Carolina Tim Scott. Former US President and 2024 Presidential hopeful Donald Trump will skip the debate to hold his own rally. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Five Republican presidential hopefuls faced off in Miami on Wednesday night for the third GOP debate, the last one of 2023.

The debate participants are former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. Former President Donald Trump will not be on the stage. Instead, he’ll be at a rally in a suburb of Miami nearby.

The debate comes as many states went to the polls – Kentucky re-elected their Democratic governor, Democrats flipped Virginia’s state house and Ohio voted to enshrine the right to abortion in its Constitution. Foreign policy is expected to dominate the debate as Israel’s war on Gaza enters the fourth week.

We’ll recap the night and discuss what the candidatessaid aboutissues like abortion, the economy and foreign policy.