Here's the rundown of this week's most-anticipated event scheduled for Wednesday
Leading Republicans contending in the 2024 US presidential elections are busy preparing their speeches ahead of the first Republican primary debate scheduled for Wednesday where they will share their vision for the future with voters andwork their charms to win their trust.
The discussion on Wednesday is set to start at 8pm local time (0100 GMT on Thursday) on Fox News from Milwaukee's downtown Fiserv Forum in Wisconsin, one of the nation's most competitive political states, where both the Democrats and the Republicans are expected to put forward their best efforts to convince voters.
The Republicans' national convention, where they will formally select a challenger to Democratic President Joe Biden, will take place in Wisconsin in around 11 months.
Except for former President Donald Trump, who opted to appear for an interview with conservative pundit Tucker Carlson in its place, all of the top Republicans running for office will be present at the event.
Trump's allies do not approve of his decision according to Geo News, he is leading the competition by 34 points.
Candidates are required to meet certain thresholds in national or state polls and must have contributions from at least 40,000 different contributors in order to be eligible for the debate.
Those who appear to have reached the threshold or are extremely close to doing so are Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, US Senator Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.
The contenders must also affirm their support for the eventual Republican nominee by signing a pledge.
Questions that await candidates' answers
The Republican National Committee will be holding two more debates; one in California in September while the next one will likely be held in October in Alabama.
Additionally, Martha MacCallum, a Fox News host and Bret Baier's colleague, confirmed that while the set of questions for such debates is not publicly disclosed, abortion and Donald Trump's criminal indictments will be on the table.
The debate on abortion restrictions and Trump's indictments is contentious, with most Republicans favouring strict laws, while moderates and independent voters disagree.
Meanwhile, Republicans view the issue of Trump's charges as politically motivated, making it a fraught issue for rivals.
Poor performances during prior primary campaigns have occasionally doomed candidacies, while great performances have catapulted lesser-known candidates into the top tier.
Additionally, campaign strategists predict that the debate will draw millions of people, many of whom will be watching the election for the first time.
In the months leading up to the first nominating contest in Iowa, the first debate typically signals the beginning of a more active phase of the campaign.
The discussion could be especially important for DeSantis, who is trailing Trump in the polls but whose support has declined throughout the summer.
Allies claim that if he does well, the debate might be a pivotal turning moment but an ineffective performance could cause him to revert to the pack.