At least six Republican candidates are set to participate in the second 2024 Republican presidential debate, which will take place on Wednesday in Simi Valley, California. The event will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute and will be hosted by Fox Business Network, Univision, and Rumble. The two-hour debate is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET.

Unlike the first debate last month in Milwaukee, the qualifying rules for this debate are more stringent, resulting in fewer candidates on stage. Former President Donald Trump, who is currently leading in the polls, has chosen to skip the debates once again. Instead, he will be delivering a speech to autoworkers in Detroit at 8 p.m.

The six candidates expected to participate in the debate include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. With a smaller lineup, each candidate will have more time to present their ideas and attack their opponents.

One candidate in particular, Ron DeSantis, is in need of a breakout performance. After initially being seen as a top contender to challenge Trump, DeSantis has faced a challenging year with declining poll numbers. He will be looking for a standout performance to revive his campaign.

Vivek Ramaswamy, who made a strong impression in the August debate, is likely to face attacks from his opponents. As Trump continues to dominate the polls, the race for the Republican nomination has become a fight for second place. Ramaswamy's rivals hope that Trump's legal troubles will give them an opportunity to emerge as a viable alternative. Expect to see Haley and Pence, who performed well in the previous debate, launching attacks on Ramaswamy's lack of experience.

It is unlikely that most candidates will directly criticize Trump for his indictments and legal issues. Many Republican primary voters believe that the charges against Trump are politically motivated, and attacking him on this issue could backfire. Instead, candidates are more likely to focus their attacks on President Joe Biden, who is currently facing an impeachment inquiry by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

The inclusion of Univision as a debate host indicates the candidates' efforts to appeal to Hispanic voters. Republican support among Latinos has been growing in recent years, and candidates will be asked about their plans to improve the financial prospects for Latino families.

The upcoming debate will be hosted by Stuart Varney and Dana Perino of Fox News Media, alongside Univision's Ilia Calder??n. The candidates will once again have the opportunity to present their platforms and engage in a lively discussion that could shape the future of the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the debate on Fox Business, Fox News, Fox Nation, Rumble, and Univision.