A top poll and a top focus group conducted after the second <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican Party</a> primary debate on Wednesday night found that voters believe that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis won the event.
The new 538/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, conducted in the hours immediately following the debate, found that heading into the evening, voters expected pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy to do the best, followed by DeSantis, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. After the debate, voters said that DeSantis did the best, followed by Haley and then Ramaswamy.
When the survey asked respondents who did the best and who did the worst, DeSantis received the most support.
&#8220;DeSantis was again the clear winner: 33 percent of likely Republican voters who watched the debate said he performed the best, and only 5 percent said he performed the worst,&#8221; the survey <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/republican-debate-september-poll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley ranked second, with 18 percent rating her as the strongest debater and only 7 percent rating her as the worst.&#8221;
The survey found that 15 percent said that Ramaswamy did the best, while 10 percent said that he did the worst. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) &#8220;didn’t inspire a lot of strong feelings either way,&#8221; the survey added. Those who performed the worst, according to the poll, were former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence.
CNN conducted a separate focus group in Iowa immediately following the debate, and most of the participants said that DeSantis won the debate.
When asked to raise their hands to vote, nine people voted for DeSantis, six voted for Haley, one voted for Burgum, one voted for Ramaswamy, none voted for Christie, none voted for Pence, and none voted for Scott. When the group was asked who had a bad night, the seeming consensus was Pence, with the moderator acknowledging &#8220;you&#8217;re all saying Pence.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Hear who voters say won second GOP presidential debate" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c1bYLbfFSjQ?start=267&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Second Republican Primary Debate Held At Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Poll, Focus Group Reveal Who Voters Say Won Second GOP Primary Debate

2024 Election

Elections

Nikki Haley

Politics

Ron DeSantis

Vivek Ramaswamy

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tim-scott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Scott</a> (R-SC) took aim at pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy during Wednesday night&#8217;s second Republican Party primary debate over his past business ties to communist China.
Scott&#8217;s attack comes after he was overshadowed and largely quiet during the first Republican Party primary debate last month and has hovered around 2-3% in the polls, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
Scott took issue with Ramaswamy for saying during the debate that all the Republican candidates on stage were good people after he had accused them during the first debate of being &#8220;bought and paid for.&#8221;
&#8220;When we have a conversation about the things that are happening on this stage, we think about the fact that Vivek just said we were all &#8216;good people,&#8217; and I appreciate that,&#8221; Scott said. &#8220;Because last debate, he said we were all &#8216;bought and paid for.'&#8221;
&#8220;And I thought about that for a little while, and said, you know, I can&#8217;t imagine how you could say that, knowing that you were just in business with the Chinese Communist Party, and the same people that funded Hunter Biden millions of dollars was a partner of yours as well,&#8221; Scott said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tim Scott blasts Vivek Ramaswamy for doing business with the Chinese Communist Party:
&quot;I can&#39;t imagine how you can say that knowing that you were just in business with the Chinese Communist Party.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a> <a href="https://t.co/PyPqlCGrWM">pic.twitter.com/PyPqlCGrWM</a>
&mdash; Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarMachineRR/status/1707209183739699357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ramaswamy said that Scott&#8217;s claims were &#8220;nonsense.&#8221;
An <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/26/vivek-ramaswamy-china-business-ties-republican-primary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">op-ed</a> in The Washington Post this week noted that Ramaswamy did business with &#8220;high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party, including the same CCP-linked family that paid millions to Hunter Biden.&#8221;
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Ramaswamy&#8217;s pharmaceutical company, Roivant, partnered with a &#8220;private-equity arm of CITIC Group, a state-owned Chinese investment firm, to form a company called Sinovant, focused on &#8216;bringing innovative medicines to China and advancing Chinese biopharmaceutical innovation abroad,'&#8221; the Post reported.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/18/business/dealbook/citic-securities-investigation-china.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that CITIC Group is “embedded in the Communist Party elite” and is “an important member of the government-controlled ‘national team’ that carries out the will of the state in financial markets.&#8221;
The 2014 deal was between Ramaswamy&#8217;s company and CITIC&#8217;s private-equity firm (CITIC PE), which &#8220;is led by Liu Lefei, son of Liu Yunshan, who is the former head of the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda department,&#8221; the report said. Liu Lefei is also married to Jia Liqing, who is the daughter of China’s longest-serving minister of state security, and the Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/world/asia/china-panama-papers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that the two represent &#8220;the most potent arms of the Chinese Communist Party.&#8221;
Jia also &#8220;co-founded Harvest Global Investments with Zhao Xuejun (a.k.a. Henry Zhao), a company that went into business with Hunter Biden,&#8221; the Washington Post report states. &#8220;Zhao paid $5 million to Biden’s firm Burnham Asset Management in 2016, which emails from Biden’s laptop confirm. Think of what that means: Ramaswamy was in business with the same family as the president’s son, whose Chinese business interests House Republicans are now investigating.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-VOTE-REPUBLICAN-DEBATE

Scott Takes Aim At Ramaswamy: Did Business With Chinese Communist Party, Hunter Biden’s Business Partners

Scott Hits Ramaswamy: Did Business With Chinese Communist Party And Hunter Biden’s Business Partners

Tim Scott

Pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy said during the second Republican Party primary debate on Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, that transgenderism in minors was a mental health issue and that it was cruel to push that ideology onto children.
Ramaswamy was asked by co-host Dana Perino about whether he would sign a bill into law that protected parental rights so that schools cannot hide information from parents about their child&#8217;s identity.
&#8220;I have to be very clear about this, transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have to acknowledge the truth of that for what it is.&#8221;
&#8220;Parents have the right to know. And you know what the hypocrisy of this is, even New Hampshire failed to actually get passed a piece of legislation here,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;The very people who say that this increases the risk of suicide are also the ones saying that parents don&#8217;t have the right to know about that increased risk of suicide. And I&#8217;m sorry, it is not compassionate, to affirm a kid&#8217;s confusion. That is not compassion. That is cruelty. I met two young women, Chloe and Katie, early in this campaign, who are in their 20s, now regret getting double mastectomies and a hysterectomy. One of them will never have children. And the fact that we allowed that to happen in this country is barbaric. So I will ban genital mutilation or chemical castration under the age of 18.&#8221;
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He said that he would try to pass a law protecting parental rights — a policy position similar to the other Republican presidential candidates.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
More than 50% of kids with gender dysphoria have considered suicide. And yet politicians reject a law that would require schools to inform parents if their kids change their gender identity at school. Parents have a right to know about their kids: that shouldn’t be controversial.… <a href="https://t.co/AzvT2Pq8Om">pic.twitter.com/AzvT2Pq8Om</a>
&mdash; Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1707217865235935550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ramaswamy On Transgenderism In Minors: It’s ‘A Mental Health Disorder’

Former South Carolina Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nikki-haley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a> exploded on pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy during the second GOP primary debate on Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Haley made the remarks in response to Ramaswamy explaining why he decided to use TikTok after he previously said that people should not be using it.
&#8220;This is infuriating, because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have,&#8221; Haley said. &#8220;And what you&#8217;ve got, I honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.&#8221;
Elaborating on what TikTok does, Haley said that the company now has 150 million people using the platform and that it &#8220;can get your contacts, they can get your financial information, they can get your emails, they can get your text messages, they can get all these things.&#8221;
&#8220;And what we&#8217;ve seen is you&#8217;ve gone and you&#8217;ve helped China make medicines in China, not America, you are now wanting kids to go and get on the social media that is dangerous for all of us,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;You were in business with the Chinese that gave Hunter Biden $5 million.&#8221;
&#8220;We can&#8217;t trust you!&#8221; she continued. &#8220;We can&#8217;t trust you!&#8221;
Ramaswamy responded by saying the candidates would be better off if they didn’t throw “personal insults” at each other.
The entrepreneur caused a stir in the first primary debate when he <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/gop-debate-scott-ramaswamy-heated-over-bought-paid-for-insult">called</a> all the other candidates &#8220;bought and paid for.&#8221; Ramaswamy and Haley have <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4177316-haley-knocks-ramaswamy-over-childish-name-games/">traded barbs</a> <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/08/23/ramaswamy_slams_nikki_haley_good_luck_in_your_future_career_on_the_boards_of_lockheed_and_raytheon.html">publicly</a> over the last month.
WATCH:
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Nikki Haley to Vivek Ramaswamy:
&quot;Honestly, every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gdMAbs3swy">pic.twitter.com/gdMAbs3swy</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1707219085136666634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Haley Ramaswamy

Haley Explodes On Ramaswamy After TikTok Remarks: ‘Every Time I Hear You, I Feel A Little Bit Dumber’

Haley Explodes On Ramaswamy After TikTok Remarks: 'Every Time I Hear You, I Feel A Little Bit Dumber'

Communist China

TikTok

The second 2024 Republican presidential debate is here. Seven candidates, including a cadre of governors and former governors, are facing off for the second time at a debate moderated by Fox News hosts Stuart Varney and Dana Perino alongside UNIVISION’s Ilia Calderón. The debate is being held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Candidates participating in the debate include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner, will not participate, choosing to appear in Michigan to give a speech to striking autoworkers. Follow The Daily Wire’s Republican presidential debate live blog here: Refresh for updates.
<hr />
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends debate as surrogate for Biden
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was spotted at the Reagan Presidential Library, entering the spin zone, where he will be a surrogate for President Joe Biden. Newsom declared the president the &#8220;clear&#8221; winner of the debate before it even started.
&#8220;The winner of tonight’s debate is clear, it’s Joe Biden. It’s the Biden presidency and the extraordinary job he’s done over the years,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;It’s been a masterclass, the success of the Biden-Harris administration.”
Tim Scott: Biden shouldn&#8217;t be on the picket line but on the southern border 
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called out President Joe Biden for joining striking autoworkers in Michigan earlier this week. &#8220;Joe Biden should not be on the picket line; he should be on the southern border working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open, and insecure.&#8221;
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If you don’t control your back door, it&#39;s not your house. And if we don&#39;t control our border, it’s not our country.
Every single American deserves safe streets, drug-free neighborhoods, and secure borders. And when I’m in the White House, they’ll get them. <a href="https://t.co/4c4Iue7X2v">pic.twitter.com/4c4Iue7X2v</a>
&mdash; Tim Scott (@votetimscott) <a href="https://twitter.com/votetimscott/status/1707202918225445298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ramaswamy doesn’t have patience for union bosses but does have sympathy for the workers
The tech entrepreneur said that workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. That’s really where the protest needs to be.” Ramaswamy added that the Biden administration&#8217;s policies have been a disaster and that federal regulations are hampering the economy.
Chris Christie calls out Trump for adding to the national debt
Former Trump ally and Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie criticized the Trump administration for adding trillions of dollars to the national debt during the former president&#8217;s four years in office and called on him to defend his record on the debate stage.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t get any answers because Joe Biden hides in his basement and won&#8217;t answer as to why he&#8217;s raising the debt the way he&#8217;s done, and Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won&#8217;t show up &#8230; he put $7 trillion on the debt. He should be here in this room to answer those questions.&#8221;
DeSantis calls out Trump for not being at the debate, criticizes the former president for signing large spending bills
“You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,&#8221; the Florida governor said. &#8220;He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.&#8221; DeSantis said he will veto bloated spending bills.
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Where is Joe Biden? He’s missing in action.
You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump.
DC politicians are shutting down the American Dream with their reckless spending.
As your President, when they send me a bloated spending bill, I will take out my pen and veto it. <a href="https://t.co/FzhRJZco19">pic.twitter.com/FzhRJZco19</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1707205112567902481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Christie says that America wants more immigrants to come legally
&#8220;If you come here illegally, we will apprehend you and send you back across the border from whence you came.”
DeSantis tries to steer debate back to issues after Scott and Ramaswamy trade barbs
After Sen. Tim Scott called out Vivek Ramaswamy for criticizing his GOP opponents in the last debate and calling them &#8220;bought and paid for,&#8221; Gov. DeSantis tried to get the participants to &#8220;get back to the issues that matter.&#8221;
&#8220;Let&#8217;s focus on holding Joe Biden accountable,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s who we need to be focusing on.&#8221;
Pence asked about supporting a pathway for illegal immigrants allowed to stay in America under Obama and Biden’s DACA program, which was recently ruled illegal
The former vice president pointed to the Trump administration’s actions to secure the border and said he has negotiated change in Congress before.
DeSantis says that crime is a sign of “decaying” American culture, lays out his plan to go after Soros-backed DAs
The Florida governor pointed to his removal of two woke prosecutors in Florida and said that he will authorize the Department of Justice to bring civil rights cases against George Soros-backed prosecutors who are weak on prosecuting crime.
Pence calls for &#8220;expedited death penalty&#8221; for mass shooters
&#8220;I&#8217;m someone that believes that justice delayed is justice denied, and as a father of three, as a grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I am sick and tired of these mass shootings happening in the United States of America, and if I&#8217;m president of the United States, I will go to the Congress of the United States, and we&#8217;re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting so they will meet their fate in months, not years.&#8221;
Ramaswamy says that part of dealing with the fentanyl crisis is cracking down on demand in the country
Ramaswamy said that the country needs to turn to faith-based mental health solutions and crack down on addictive social media platforms.
Haley addresses the broken health care system
Nikki Haley said that, as president, she will break down the American healthcare system as it currently stands and will bring competition and transparency to the industry.
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When I am president we will make health care costs transparent. We will put the patient in the driver seat and costs will go down.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707212149687218519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum blames the federal government for rising medical costs
When asked about how he would address the rising costs of health care, Doug Burgum pinned the blame on the federal government. He said that whenever the government gets involved, it picks winners and losers, which doesn’t work out well.
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Every time the federal government gets involved in something, whether it’s education, energy or health care, things get more expensive and less efficient. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a>
&mdash; Doug Burgum (Text &quot;DOUG&quot; to 70177) (@DougBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBurgum/status/1707213027899011490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Haley says parents have to get involved with kids&#8217; education, calls for transparency and an end to spending on DEI, CRT
Nikki Haley said parents need to get involved and public schools need to be more transparent with them. &#8220;We&#8217;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT,&#8221; Haley added.
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&quot;We&#39;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&quot; 
&quot;We&#39;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT.&quot; — Gov. Nikki Haley
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707213933378261253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Scott takes aim at Democrat welfare programs
Tim Scott said that black Americans survived all of the hardships of slavery, but were devastated by welfare programs in the 1960s. “What was hard to survive was Johnson’s Great Society where they decided to take the black father out of the household to get a check in the mail and you can now measure that in unemployment, crime, and devastation. If you want to restore hope, you need to restore the family,” he said.
Ramaswamy: Transgenderism is a mental health disorder
After being asked about parental notification laws for public schools, Vivek Ramaswamy said, &#8220;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it is not compassionate to confirm a child&#8217;s delusion.&#8221;
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VIVEK: &quot;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GmweqbuyRk">pic.twitter.com/GmweqbuyRk</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1707215970366894097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis says the U.S. must defend the American people before worrying about Ukraine
When asked if it was in America&#8217;s best interest to fund Ukraine&#8217;s defense, Gov. Ron DeSantis said it is in America&#8217;s interest &#8220;to end&#8221; the war in Ukraine. &#8220;We are not going to have a blank check. We will not have U.S. troops [in Ukraine].&#8221;
&#8220;We have to defend the American people,&#8221; DeSantis added, saying the U.S. needs to focus on the southern border.
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&quot;It is in our interest to end this war,&quot; Gov. DeSantis says we will not send American troops to Ukraine. 
&quot;We have to defend the American people,&quot; DeSantis charges, stating that we need to focus on the southern border.
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707218460147908887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Tim Scott: Opposing Russia in Ukraine is in America&#8217;s best interest
When asked about continued assistance to Ukraine, which Scott has consistently voted in favor of, the senator said, &#8220;Our national interest is in degrading the Russian military.&#8221;
Haley and Ramaswamy squabble over TikTok
Ramaswamy said that he would ban TikTok for those under 16 before Haley jumped in to attack him over downloading the app himself. Haley said that TikTok was a security liability and would allow China access to American voting. Ramaswamy said that having TikTok was necessary to reach out to the next generation.
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WATCH:
Vivek and Haley Clash Over TikTok/China &#8211; Haley says ‘We can’t trust you.’ <a href="https://t.co/rC3zKs2Fqd">pic.twitter.com/rC3zKs2Fqd</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1707221767029227577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum: “We’re in a Cold War with China”
Burgum called out Biden&#8217;s foreign policy approach, saying that Biden invited more kidnappings of Americans with recent negotiations that gave billions to Iran in exchange for imprisoned Americans. He added that Ukraine should not fall to Russia and Taiwan should not fall to China.
Haley goes after DeSantis on energy
Nikki Haley attacked Gov. Ron DeSantis for his record on fracking, accusing DeSantis of issuing executive orders after taking office banning fracking and offshore drilling in the state.
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On his second day in office as governor, Ron issued executive orders BANNING fracking and offshore drilling in Florida—a page straight from Joe Biden’s playbook.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707223212784841122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis responded to Haley, saying her claims are &#8220;not true&#8221; and pointed to a Florida constitutional amendment that bans offshore drilling.
&#8220;That&#8217;s just wrong,&#8221; the governor said of Haley&#8217;s attack. &#8220;And let&#8217;s just get real here: my plan will get the job done. We are going to be energy dominant.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a> pledges to champion &quot;American energy dominance: We&#39;re going to choose Midland over Moscow, we&#39;re going to choose the Marcellas over the Mullahs, and we&#39;re going to choose Bakken over Beijing, and we&#39;re going to lower your gas prices.&quot; BAM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a> <a href="https://t.co/87nzLXZw8y">pic.twitter.com/87nzLXZw8y</a>
&mdash; Tyler O&#39;Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tyler2ONeil/status/1707227589142573190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis says being pro-life is not a liability for elections
“I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats,” DeSantis said, adding that Trump should be at the debate to explain why he has been critical of pro-life activists. “We’re better off when everyone counts,” he added, saying Republicans should go after Democrats pushing extreme late-term abortion policies.
Candidates asked who they would vote &#8220;off the island&#8221;
Fox News host Dana Perino asked candidates to write down what candidate they would want to “vote off the island” but candidates refused with DeSantis calling the question disrespectful. Other candidates agreed and Perino moved on before Christie explained that he would want Trump “off the island.”
Ramaswamy: &#8220;America First agenda does not belong to one man&#8221;
With the final comment of the debate, Vivek Ramaswamy said he &#8220;respects&#8221; former President Trump&#8217;s &#8220;legacy,&#8221; but added that the America First agenda that Trump governed by &#8220;does not belong to one man.&#8221;
&#8220;It does not belong to Donald Trump. It doesn&#8217;t belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of this country. And the question is who is going to unite this country and take the America First agenda to the next level.&#8221;

2024 Primary Debate

2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Live Updates As 7 Republicans Face Off At Reagan Library

2024 Primaries

Chris Christie

Debates

Donald Trump

Doug Burgum

Mike Pence

More polls on the early primary state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a> were released over the past week, showing how Republican candidates stack up in the state with an impressive track record of choosing the eventual nominee. 
The New Hampshire primary, along with the Iowa caucuses, act as the launching pad for the presidential election, and Republicans who won the Granite State primary in the last three competitive election cycles (2016, 2012, and 2008) all went on to win the nomination. The state also represents a slightly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/24/politics/new-hampshire-republican-primary-trump/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">better chance</a> for a Republican candidate to knock off the GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, as Trump consistently polls lower in New Hampshire than he does nationally. 
According to the <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/nh/2024_new_hampshire_republican_presidential_primary-7396.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real Clear Politics average</a> as of Wednesday, Trump leads the pack in New Hampshire at 44%, 31 points ahead of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley at 13%. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is in second place nationally, comes in third place in the state at 10.5%, followed closely by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at 9.8%. Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (8%), South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (4.8%), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2.5%), and former Vice President Mike Pence (1.5%) round out the polling of those who came in above 1%. 
The most recent poll, conducted by CBS News from September 15-24, has Trump at 50%, DeSantis in second at 13%, and Haley in third at 11%. The CBS poll was an 11-point difference for Trump compared to a CNN/UNH poll conducted two weeks ago that put the former president at 39%.
The last four polls of New Hampshire showed a significant rise for Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration. Haley polled as high as 15% in a St. Anselm poll conducted last week, a 10-point rise for the South Carolinian since the previous St. Anselm poll conducted in June. Meanwhile, DeSantis dropped eight points between the two St. Anselm polls as the governor struggles to gain momentum since the launch of his campaign in late May. 
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Seven candidates will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, for Wednesday night&#8217;s second GOP presidential debate. Trump, who did not attend the first GOP debate, will also skip this one, opting to speak to striking autoworkers in Michigan instead. The former president has pointed to his dominance in the polls as a reason he’s not debating his Republican opponents.

Nikki Haley/Donald Trump/Ron DeSantis

Latest Presidential Polls: Where The Candidates Stand In New Hampshire

New Hampshire

A <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/wisconsin-democrats-return-money-from-tech-billionaire-under-fire-for-uyghur-comments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left-wing</a> mega-donor who has donated <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Chamath+Palihapitiya&amp;order=asc&amp;page=2&amp;sort=A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millions</a> of dollars to Democrats is hosting a fundraiser for pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s Republican presidential campaign.
Chamath Palihapitiya is hosting an &#8220;intimate dinner&#8221; and fundraiser for Ramaswamy&#8217;s Super PAC at his home in San Francisco where tickets are being sold for $50,000 with the hopes of generating $1 million for the candidate, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/teddyschleifer/status/1704955641759256867" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Puck News</a>. Ramaswamy will be in attendance.
Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrat-mega-donor-nobody-cares-uyghur-genocide-slated-host-ramaswamy-fundraiser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that Palihapitiya — a former Facebook executive who now is a part owner of the NBA&#8217;s Golden State Warriors — generated significant backlash last year when he said that &#8220;nobody cares&#8221; about communist China&#8217;s genocide of religious minorities in the country.
&#8220;Every time I say that I care about the Uyghurs, I’m really just lying if I don’t really care,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Let’s be honest, nobody, nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs, okay? You bring it up because you really care. And I think that’s really nice that you care, but the rest of us don’t care.&#8221;
He later added, &#8220;Of all the things that I care about, yes, it is below my line. Okay, of all the things that I care about, it is below my line.&#8221;
Ramaswamy&#8217;s campaign told Fox News that the presidential candidate disagreed with Palihapitiya&#8217;s comments on the genocide, but that Ramaswamy would still attend the fundraiser.
In addition to Ramaswamy campaign Communications Director Tricia McLaughlin saying that the candidate believes the genocide is &#8220;an atrocity,&#8221; Ramaswamy himself recently characterized what China is doing to the Uyghurs as &#8220;one of the worst human rights atrocities committed by a major nation since the Third Reich of Germany.&#8221;
The communist regime&#8217;s rounding up of ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang is the largest mass detention of ethnic and religious minorities since the Holocaust.
China surveils everyone in their country, but they keep an especially close eye on the Uyghurs, whom they have <a href="https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/china/chinese-persecution-of-the-uyghurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subjected</a> to mass-enforced sterilization, forced labor, and forced assimilation.
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Human Rights Watch has <a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/19/break-their-lineage-break-their-roots/chinas-crimes-against-humanity-targeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documented</a> the atrocities being carried out in China&#8217;s concentration camps, which include &#8220;imprisonment or other deprivation of liberty in violation of international law; persecution of an identifiable ethnic or religious group; enforced disappearance; torture; murder; and alleged inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to mental or physical health, notably forced labor and sexual violence.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-sadistic-communist-china-gang-rapes-religious-minorities-in-concentration-camps-former-detainees-allege" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Extremely Sadistic’: Guards Gang Rape Religious Minorities In China’s Concentration Camps, Former Detainees Allege</a>

Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Visits “Varney & Co”

Democrat Mega-Donor Who Said ‘Nobody Cares’ About Genocide In China Hosts Fundraiser For Ramaswamy; Campaign Responds

Democrat Megadonor Who Said ‘Nobody Cares’ About Genocide In China Hosts Fundraiser For Ramaswamy; Campaign Responds

Democratic Party

Uyghur

Republican presidential candidates hit the Iowa trail in recent weeks as potential nominees court voters who will partake in the nation’s first caucuses. 
Many of the GOP candidates attended the Iowa State Fair last month and the annual Iowa-Iowa State college football game over the weekend, trying to convince voters that they are the best option to beat President Joe Biden in 2024. State polling continues to show former President Donald Trump in a commanding lead in Iowa, but according to some recent polls, both Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have slightly dipped as other candidates got a small boost. 
Trump stands at 46.0%, and DeSantis holds second place at 15.8%, according to the latest Real Clear Politics <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/ia/2024_iowa_republican_presidential_caucus-8164.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a> in Iowa. Two candidates from South Carolina have seen a recent boost in the Hawkeye State, as Sen. Tim Scott now sits at 9.0% and former Governor Nikki Haley improved to 7.0%, according to the RCP average. Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (6.5%), former Vice President Mike Pence (3.5%), former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (3.5%), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2.5%) round out the polling of candidates who hit above 2% in Iowa. 
Trump’s polling in Iowa dropped significantly between May and last week, according to the latest Emerson poll. The former president stood at 62%, according to an Emerson poll taken in late May, but that dropped to 49% in the <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/iowa-2024-biden-and-trump-remain-frontrunners-in-caucuses-but-both-losing-ground/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> released last week. DeSantis also took a slight tumble, according to Emerson, dropping from 20% to 14% in the same time period. The May Emerson poll showing the Florida governor at 20% was released days before he officially launched his campaign, which has struggled to gain momentum. 
An Iowa State/Civiqs <a href="https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2023/09/08/24caucus-poll1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> also released last week showed similar results for Trump and DeSantis as the Emerson poll and better results for Haley, who reached 10%, just four percentage points behind DeSantis. Haley’s recent boost in Iowa comes as she’s also gained some momentum nationally. A recent CNN poll showed Haley was tied for third place with Pence at 7%, and the same <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/10/politics/nikki-haley-lead-biden-2024-poll-cnntv/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> showed the former U.N. ambassador performing the best of any GOP candidate against Biden, beating him 49% to 43%. 
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Iowa voters will kick off the final stretch of the Republican race on January 15, 2024, when they caucus to pick their candidate for the GOP nomination. The state has a track record of picking some of the most conservative candidates to be the GOP nominee, but Republicans who won the Iowa caucuses in recent competitive races didn&#8217;t fare well in the long run. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who won in 2016, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), who won in 2012, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who won in 2008, all went on to lose the Republican primary.

2024 Presidential Candidates Attend Iowa State Fair

Latest Presidential Polls: Where The Candidates Stand In Iowa

Iowa Caucuses

Polls

Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized fellow Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over the weekend for appearing to make contradictory statements about Israel, saying that he has a &#8220;pattern&#8221; where he &#8220;goes one direction, then goes back another direction.&#8221;
Pence made the remarks during an with Fox News host Shannon Bream on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; when discussing the recent first GOP primary debate and shots that the candidates have taken at each other in the days that have followed.
Bream played a clip of Ramaswamy telling the network on Friday that he fully backs Israel militarily after he previously said that he eventually wanted to cut off aid to Israel and other countries.
&#8220;I’ve been crystal clear that it is a vital U.S. interest to make sure that Iran never comes anywhere close to a nuclear weapon,&#8221; Ramaswamy <a href="https://youtu.be/SHPh8SfR4P0?si=tbv_giTMciHr7l3B&amp;t=208">said</a>. &#8220;We have to work with Israel to make sure that happens, and, yes, I have said that we would back Israel fully militarily. But I’ve also said that I don’t want our sons and daughters – U.S. troops – to die in that conflict.&#8221;
In the clip, Ramaswamy claimed that he has asked Pence and other candidates, like Nikki Haley and Chris Christie, &#8220;how many U.S. soldiers they would like to see die in that conflict&#8221; and that he has not gotten a response.
Bream noted that Pence has family members in the U.S. military and asked him to respond to the remarks.
Pence responded by criticizing Ramaswamy&#8217;s foreign policy positions on Israel, Taiwan, and Russia, saying that he does not &#8220;have a problem&#8221; with Vivek but believes that &#8220;he&#8217;s just wrong on foreign policy.&#8221;
&#8220;Candidly, this is a bit of a pattern for Vivek, he kind of goes one direction, then goes back another direction,&#8221; Pence said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know how we fully back and then say that there&#8217;s a limit to what our military involvement would be defending Israel in an attack by Iran.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Vivek Ramaswamy is ‘just wrong’ on foreign policy: Mike Pence" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cPhuXZJ35sk?start=273&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Presidential Hopefuls Square Off In First GOP Debate

Pence Responds To Ramaswamy’s Israel Remarks: He Goes ‘One Direction Then Goes Back Another Direction’

Republican presidential candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vivek-ramaswamy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vivek Ramaswamy</a> has been making the legacy media rounds slamming the &#8220;climate change&#8221; narrative, deeming the latest pundit talking point a &#8220;hoax&#8221; after hitting the issue during last week&#8217;s GOP debate.
Ramaswamay argued during an interview with MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell that technology powered by fossil fuels significantly reduced climate-related deaths after Mitchell attempted to corner him for claiming during the debate that &#8220;more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change.&#8221;
Mitchell cited a recent <a href="https://turkiye.un.org/en/232828-extreme-weather-caused-two-million-deaths-cost-4-trillion-over-last-50-years">U.N. agency report</a> that said extreme weather events compounded by climate change caused the death of two million people in the last 50 years. The GOP presidential hopeful countered the claim, citing &#8220;evidence that the number of climate disaster-related deaths is down by 98% over the last century.&#8221;
&#8220;The number of people who died of hurricanes, tornadoes, heatwaves, and other weather-related events in 1920 — for every 100 that died then, two die today,&#8221; he said, appearing to reference recent data on climate disaster-related deaths published by the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-activists-disasters-fire-storms-deaths-change-cop26-glasgow-global-warming-11635973538">Wall Street Journal</a> and the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/30/deaths-in-climate-disasters-declined-99-from-a-century-ago/">New York Post</a>.
&#8220;And the reason why is more plentiful, abundant access to fossil fuels and technology powered by fossil fuels,&#8221; Ramaswamy said. &#8220;Eight times as many people die of cold temperatures than die of warm ones. The right answer to all temperature-related deaths is more plentiful abundant access to fossil fuels.&#8221;
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2023/07/19/excessive-summer-heat-can-kill-but-extreme-cold-causes-more-fatalities/?sh=388800c31d88">Forbes</a>, a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2023/hot-cold-extreme-temperature-deaths/">2021 study</a> published in The Lancet Planetary Health found that &#8220;for every death linked to heat, nine are connected to cold.&#8221;
Mitchell then pointed to Hurricane Idalia as an example, citing former St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, who <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/tampa-bay-serious-idalia-flooding-dodges-direct-hit/44965120#:~:text=from%20flooded%20homes.-,%22Make%20no%20mistake%2C%20this%20hurricane%20left%20its%20mark%2C%22,could%20have%20been%20much%20worse." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said he&#8217;s never seen anything like the natural disaster. Before Mitchell could move forward in her interview with Ramaswamy, the 38-year-old Republican interjected.
&#8220;If someone on the other side or an uneducated person from Arkansas who didn&#8217;t go to college and offered one weather event as an end of one anecdote to help support a theory of global climate change, you&#8217;d laugh them off the stage as a rube for saying they don&#8217;t follow data,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The same shoe has to fit the other foot. Follow the actual data.&#8221;
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Mitchell said, &#8220;I&#8217;m not talking about one person&#8217;s opinion — we talk to professors, academics, industry people…&#8221;
&#8220;You literally just quoted one person&#8217;s opinion,&#8221; Ramaswamy interjected again. &#8220;With due respect, that&#8217;s exactly what you just quoted. And I think that that&#8217;s what&#8217;s driving this kind of false narrative as opposed to the facts that I&#8217;m citing.&#8221;
After he made similar arguments in the first GOP primary debate, left-leaning fact-checkers took aim at Ramaswamy&#8217;s claims. <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/aug/24/vivek-ramaswamy/vivek-ramsaswamys-misleading-gop-debate-claim-abou/">PolitiFact</a>, which gave a &#8220;Pants on Fire&#8221; rating to his primary argument, did acknowledge, however, that deaths from climate disasters are down. &#8220;Although historical <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/weather-related-disasters-increase-over-past-50-years-causing-more-damage-fewer" rel="noopener">data</a> does show deaths from weather disasters have declined since the 1900s, experts said that’s largely attributable to better disaster warning systems.&#8221; PolitiFact went on to assert that &#8220;such data does not undermine evidence that extreme weather worsened by a warming planet has taken millions of lives.&#8221;
During an interview with TMZ, Ramaswamy similarly challenged hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere&#8217;s climate change arguments by pointing out variables relating to deaths and survival rates in the climate narrative.
&#8220;We&#8217;re in Los Angeles, and we just had this crazy tropical storm, and I&#8217;m an old dog, and I&#8217;ve never seen anything like that in my lifetime,&#8221; Levin said. &#8220;Maui burned up, at least Lahaina did, and the country is experiencing temperatures that we&#8217;ve never seen before, as is the world. And I heard what you said during the debate where you brushed aside climate change. What do you think is causing all this?&#8221;
After reiterating similar talking points he&#8217;d given on MSNBC less than 48 hours earlier, Ramaswamy said, &#8220;The right answer to all temperature-related deaths is more abundant fossil fuels. The earth is covered by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/greening-of-the-earth-mitigates-surface-warming">more green surface area</a> today than it was half a century or a century ago because carbon dioxide is plant food. These are the hard facts, not theories, that you don&#8217;t hear from the climate agenda.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Earth’s surface area is covered with more plant life today than 50 years ago &#8211; because, yes, carbon is plant food and surface temperatures are a little higher. I’m pro-environment. Clean air. Clean water. Preserving national parks. Ironically these things are put on the back… <a href="https://t.co/bmGDQg7Guo">pic.twitter.com/bmGDQg7Guo</a>
&mdash; Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1697253067316760691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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This article has been expanded to include more context and links to relevant data.

2024 Presidential Candidates Participate In Republican Primary Debate

Ramaswamy Makes Legacy Media Rounds Blasting Climate Change

Vivek Ramaswamy Makes Legacy Media Rounds Blasting Climate Change

Climate Change

MSNBC

Former Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nikki-haley-calls-out-republicans-on-inflation-defends-israel-aid-in-first-gop-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a> (R-S.C.) took aim at fellow GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday, marking the latest in a volley of jabs between the two on foreign policy issues.
&#8220;[Vivek Ramaswamy] must have missed that the fanatical terrorist regime in Iran regularly calls for ‘Death to America,'&#8221; Haley posted via X. &#8220;If he doesn’t see a nuclear Iran as a threat to American security, then he should take his place beside AOC and the Squad and get nowhere near the White House.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VivekGRamaswamy</a> must have missed that the fanatical terrorist regime in Iran regularly calls for ‘Death to America.&#39;
If he doesn’t see a nuclear Iran as a threat to American security, then he should take his place beside AOC and the Squad and get nowhere near the White House.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1697252433087623356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Haley&#8217;s post appeared to be a direct response to a Monday <a href="https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/08/30/its-important-not-to-put-our-men-and-women-on-the-line-in-a-war-with-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> Ramaswamy did with Israel Hayom, during which the entrepreneur <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/haley-ramaswamys-feud-intensifies-compares-israel-policies-aoc-far-left-squad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that he wanted to remain supportive of Israel and opposed Iran achieving nuclear capabilities — but he drew the line at allowing the United States to take direct military action against Iran.
Asked, if he would &#8220;use military force to stop Iran,&#8221; as previous administrations had signaled they would, Ramaswamy responded:
<blockquote>&#8220;We will not stop Israel from defending itself to the fullest capacity. And we remain supportive of Israel, because they are our friend. I think it&#8217;s really important that the US not put our own men and women on the line in a war with Iran, when in fact, there&#8217;s no reason for us to be in that kind of war now, and I don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s good for the United States, and I don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s good for Israel. But what we do need to do is to make sure that Israel is strong so that Iran isn&#8217;t emboldened. This is, you know, an ayatollah in Iran who would rather Israel not exist, let&#8217;s just call that truth out for what it is. And so, Israel needs to be in a strong position to defend itself. And the United States will be at Israel&#8217;s back. But I think that that&#8217;s a very different thing from automatically sleepwalking ourselves into war. I&#8217;m an anti-war president. And the way I&#8217;m going to do it is by deterring war, be it ending the war in Ukraine and deterring China. These are important elements of why I think it&#8217;s important to be strong, but in a way that doesn&#8217;t accidentally walk us into wars that we don&#8217;t belong in.&#8221;</blockquote>
Ramaswamy responded to Haley&#8217;s criticisms in a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/haley-ramaswamys-feud-intensifies-compares-israel-policies-aoc-far-left-squad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> to Fox News Digital, saying that he had left military intervention in Iran on the table during that interview.
&#8220;Another flagrant distortion by the neocons &#8230; I said we would fully support Israel, including militarily, but that we should *not* want U.S. men and women dying in a war between Israel and Iran,&#8221; he said.
Haley, who most recently served as the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., has been trading barbs with Ramaswamy on foreign policy issues since the first GOP <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nikki-haley-unloads-on-vivek-ramaswamy-over-foreign-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">primary debate</a>.
Citing Ramaswamy&#8217;s position on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine — namely that Ukraine should make <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vivek-ramaswamy-bring-back-trumps-trans-military-ban/story?id=99813290" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major concessions</a> to their Russian aggressors to prevent a Russia-China alliance — Haley argued, &#8220;You are choosing a murderer over a pro-American country … You would make America less safe.&#8221;
&#8220;Under your watch, you would make America less safe, you have no foreign policy experience and it shows,&#8221; Haley continued.
Ramaswamy has since hit Haley on a few occasions, referring to her assessment of his policy statements as &#8220;<a href="https://www.mediaite.com/tv/its-a-lie-go-ahead-and-play-it-vivek-ramaswamy-tries-to-steamroll-andrea-mitchell-in-latter-stages-of-wild-marathon-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lies</a>.&#8221; He also slammed her for saying that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nikki-haley-bashes-ramaswamy-for-saying-hed-cut-aid-to-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he did not fully support Israel</a> from his <a href="https://www.vivek2024.com/truth-over-myth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">campaign website</a>: &#8220;WRONG. Keep lying, Nimarata Randhawa. The desperation is showing. By the end of Vivek’s first term, the US-Israel relationship will be deeper and stronger than ever because it won’t be a client relationship, it will be a true friendship.&#8221;
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Haley is not the only Republican candidate taking issue with Ramaswamy&#8217;s position on Israel and Iran. Former Vice President and fellow GOP primary candidate Mike Pence offered a similar response to the political newcomer, saying, &#8220;[Vivek Ramaswamy] announcing that he will not use military force to defend Israel against Iran demonstrates a profound lack of understanding about defending American interests and our most cherished ally. Weakness Arouses Evil.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VivekGRamaswamy</a> announcing that he will not use military force to defend Israel against Iran demonstrates a profound lack of understanding about defending American interests and our most cherished ally. Weakness Arouses Evil. Vivek’s hesitation to send a clear message of… <a href="https://t.co/MV8PCNOZtn">https://t.co/MV8PCNOZtn</a>
&mdash; Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1697017002307576095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Haley Hits Vivek On Iran: ‘Should Take His Place Beside AOC’; Ramaswamy Responds

Haley Hits Vivek On Iran: 'Should Take His Place Beside AOC'; Ramaswamy Responds

Foreign Policy

Iran

Republican Primary

A few Republican candidates benefited from the first presidential debate in the polls, but former President Donald Trump still holds a commanding 40-point lead in the Real Clear Politics polling <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a>. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley got slight boosts in some polls following the debate. Haley appeared to benefit the most, jumping over former Vice President Mike Pence into fourth place in the polling average. Trump’s polling average remained above 50% following the debate that he opted to skip as the former president’s mugshot dominated news cycles immediately after. 
The RCP average as of Wednesday morning puts Trump in first place at 53.6%, followed by DeSantis (13.5%), Vivek Ramaswamy (7.3%,) Haley (4.9%), and Pence (4.6%). Republican candidates polling at the bottom of the pack include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (2.5%), South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (2.4%), former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (0.4%), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (0.4%), and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd (0.3%). 
A poll conducted by InsiderAdvantage the day after the debate showed that DeSantis jumped to 18%, an eight percentage point boost from the previous InsiderAdvantage poll. Haley meanwhile hit double digits in the poll, jumping to 11%, a five percentage point boost from her standing in the previous poll. The InsiderAdvantage <a href="https://insideradvantage.com/insideradvantage-post-debate-national-republican-presidential-poll-trump-leads-at-45-percent-desantis-takes-solid-18-second-place-haley-rockets-to-third-in-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>, which surveyed 850 &#8220;likely Republican caucus and primary voters,&#8221; showed that Trump had fallen six percentage points — down to 45% — since the previous poll conducted before the debate.
An Emerson <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/august-2023-national-poll-trump-debate-snub-may-open-door-for-other-candidates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> conducted in the days following the first GOP debate showed Haley making the biggest jump, from 2% in a poll taken a week before the debate to 7% in the post-debate poll, which surveyed 1,000 registered voters. Pence jumped from 3% to 7% in the poll, and DeSantis moved up from 10% in the pre-debate poll to 12%. Trump and Ramaswamy both dropped in their polling after the debate, according to Emerson. The former president went from 56% to 50%, while Ramaswamy lost one percentage point, falling back into single digits at 9%.
The latest Economist/YouGov <a href="https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/eqlqwyoypg/econTabReport.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> taken after the debate showed that not much changed for the candidates seeking to gain ground on Trump. DeSantis remained at 16% in the poll, which is where he stood in the previous Economist/YouGov survey taken a week before the debate. Ramaswamy gained two percentage points, moving from 4% to 6%, according to the polls, and Haley inched from 3% to 4%. Trump dropped to 52%, according to the poll, giving him a 36-point lead over DeSantis nationally. 
A Morning Consult <a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-gop-primary-election-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> also found that the debate didn’t change much for the candidates trailing Trump. The poll, which surveyed over 3,500 “potential Republican primary voters,” showed that Haley and Scott were the only candidates to get a slight bump. Haley went from 3% to 5% and Scott moved up from 2% to 3%. Trump (58%), DeSantis (14%), Ramaswamy (10%), and Pence (6%) all remained the same before and after the debate. 
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The day after the GOP debate, which garnered nearly 13 million viewers, Trump was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia, on a series of charges, including violating Georgia’s RICO Act, conspiracy to commit forgery, and false statements and writings. Trump’s mugshot taken at the jail quickly went viral on social media and was plastered across the country’s newspapers and news websites. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-makes-statement-after-arrest-in-fulton-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> his arrest in Georgia “a very sad day for America.” 
&#8220;What has taken place here is a travesty of justice,” Trump added. “We did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. And everybody knows that I&#8217;ve never had such support.”

Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump

Latest Presidential Polls: Trailing Candidates Get Slight Post-Debate Boost, Trump Still Dominates

Asa Hutchinson

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