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Donald Trump’s rivals were quick to lay into him during the second presidential debate on Wednesday, ripping the former president for skipping the event as they sought to blunt the momentum that has seen him build a commanding early lead in the Republican primary. Seven GOP candidates squared off at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California for an event hosted by Fox Business Network, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.Trump was in Michigan, delivering a prime-time speech that continued through the start of the debate, attempting to capitalize on the Auto Workers Union strike and trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a key state that could help decide the general election.Read the live updates of the second debate written in reverse chronological order below:Who would you vote off the GOP island?As the debate neared its end, moderator Dana Perino asked the candidates to write down which of their on-stage competitors should be voted off the 2024 GOP island.But they didn’t bite. “With all due respect, I think that that’s disrespectful,�� DeSantis said in response to the “Survivor��-style question.Christie said Trump should be booted given his decision to skip the debate, and he accused him of dividing the country.Ramaswamy slipped in the last word, praising Trump’s legacy but saying he was the better candidate to push forward an “America first�� agenda.And with that, the second Republican primary debate was over.Ramaswamy levels criticism toward UkraineRamaswamy is leveling criticism toward Ukraine in answer to a question about continuing U.S. support for the country.“Just because Putin is an evil dictator does not mean Ukraine is good,�� Ramaswamy says.He also says China, not Russia, is the United States�� real enemy, and argues that the hard U.S. line toward Russia “is driving Russia further into China’s arms.”DeSantis rejects idea that anti-abortion stance costs GOP electionsDeSantis is rejecting the idea that Republicans have been losing elections because of their opposition to abortion, and he says his reelection as Florida governor last year is proof he’s right.Democrats have leaned into the debate over abortion rights since a conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Voters have repeatedly supported abortion rights, and Democrats and even Trump have said it’s a big reason for the party’s better-than-expected performance in the midterms and in other elections since then.DeSantis signed into law a ban on abortions at six weeks of pregnancy, before some women know they’re pregnant. He went on to easily win a second term.Video below: Ohio voters reject proposal in state's special election, siding against anti-abortion stanceAsked about the possibility that swing state Arizona will have an abortion question on its ballot next year, making it tougher for Republicans to win there, DeSantis dismissed the idea. He also called out Trump, who said it was a “terrible mistake�� for DeSantis to sign the ban.DeSantis said Republicans must go on the offensive and hit Democrats for their “extremism�� on the issue.Haley pivots debate conversation to China again and againWarning about the threats she perceived are posed by China is key to Haley’s stump, and it’s on full display in the debate.Several times, Haley has pivoted her part in the conversation by noting that some U.S. supplies of amoxicillin come from China. Several times, she has pointed to Ramaswamy’s ties to the country, from business deals to his presence on TikTok, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.Haley also went after Trump’s China policy, saying that she feels the former president was too focused on the U.S.-China trade relationship and did too little about possible threats from the country.Going against medical professionals, Ramaswamy calls being transgender a ‘mental health disorder’Ramaswamy called being transgender a “mental health disorder�� and “confusion�� in response to a question about parental notification about their children’s gender identities. That's in direct contrast to guidance from the American Psychiatric Association, which says diverse gender expressions “are not indications of a mental disorder.”To make his point, Ramaswamy noted that he recently met two young women who later regretted their gender-affirming surgeries.While it’s possible, regret after a gender transition is rare. In a review of 27 studies involving almost 8,000 teens and adults who had transgender surgeries, mostly in Europe, the U.S and Canada, 1% on average expressed regret.Video below: What does it mean to be a transgender woman in America?Haley tells Ramaswamy: ‘We can’t trust you'For a moment, it was Haley vs. Ramaswamy, round two.As they did in last month’s debut debate, Haley and Ramaswamy had a split-screen sparring back-and-forth in which Haley went after the political newcomer for inexperience and, she alleged, dangerous ideas.Asked about his recent conversation with a TikTok influencer, Ramaswamy defended his use of the platform.“I’m the new guy here, and so I know I have to earn your trust,�� Ramaswamy said. “I’m here to tell you, no, I don’t know at all. I will listen.�� Interjecting by calling TikTok “dangerous,�� Haley went on to address Ramaswamy directly �� and personally.“Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,�� Haley said. “We can’t trust you.”Ramaswamy responded by saying that “I think we would be better served as a Republican Party if we’re not sitting here hurling personal insults,�� before the moderators moved on to another topic.Video below: Haley tells Ramaswamy: ‘We can’t trust you'Moderator threatens to cut Burgum's micThe debate is getting chaotic at times, with candidates shouting over one another and the moderators scolding them for not waiting their turns.At one point, moderator Dana Perino warned Burgum, who was trying to interrupt the questioning, that they would have to cut off his microphone if he didn’t stop interjecting. “I don’t want to do that,�� she said, pleadingly “I don’t.”Moderators also told candidates multiple times that the cross-talking meant they would get fewer questions.Scott says there is no redeeming quality in slaveryThe topic of education also led to the issue of teaching about racism in public schools. Under DeSantis, Florida approved a controversial curriculum that suggests some enslaved people learned useful skills while they were in bondage.Scott, the only Black candidate on stage Wednesday night, reiterated his criticism of the curriculum under DeSantis by saying, “There is not a redeeming quality in slavery.”He also suggested that the United States had turned the page on its history.“We are the greatest nation on earth because we faced our demons in the mirror,�� Scott said. He added that, “America is not a racist country.”No new ground broken on immigration at debateCandidates have devoted significant time to discussing the border but said nothing significantly new. Their policy prescriptions were largely in line with each other and with Trump, who made it a signature issue.Pence, ignoring a question about what he would do to protect immigrants who came to the country as young children, spoke about a Trump-era policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings and cracking down on asylum. Ramaswamy spoke about repealing a constitutional right to birthright citizenship, a position that Trump has entertained.Video below: DeSantis discusses primary, call for lethal force at borderCandidates spoke as if the influx of asylum-seekers began under Biden’s watch, but it began years earlier. By 2017, the United States became the world’s most popular destination for asylum-seekers, a position it has held ever since, according to the U.N. refugee agency.Migration has unquestionably grown sharply under Biden. Border arrests topped 2.2 million at the Mexican border in the 2022 fiscal year, which runs from October to September, the highest on record and more than twice the peak year of 852,000 under Trump in 2019. Arrests topped 400,000 during Obama’s last full year in office.People arriving in families with children under 18 are again behind surging numbers, reaching 93,108 arrests in August, surpassing the previous high of 84,486 under Trump’s watch in May 2019.Youngest candidate says teens should avoid ‘addictive social media’He’s the only GOP presidential candidate on TikTok, but Ramaswamy is talking about teens staying away from “addictive social media.”In a question about security, Ramaswamy pivoted to a discussion of border security, talking about teens turning to social media like Snapchat to procure pharmaceuticals.“If you’re 16 years old or under, you should not be using an addictive social media product, period,�� he said.Ramaswamy, who at 38 is the youngest candidate on stage, has referred to TikTok as “digital fentanyl�� but earlier this month joined the platform, with his campaign saying he was angling to appeal to younger voters.The platform has been met with bipartisan criticism that it is a potential spy mechanism for China.Border wall won't stop fentanyl from coming across borderRamaswamy’s argument about sealing the border with a wall to stop fentanyl from coming in ignores the fact that the vast majority of fentanyl goes through official land crossings, much of it by U.S. citizens. A wall will do nothing to stop that.Fentanyl seizures occurred predominantly at official land crossings, where commuters and visitors smuggle drugs on their bodies or in their vehicles. From September through August, 11.4 tons of the 12.8 tons of fentanyl seized at the border Mexico were discovered at land crossings, while the remaining 1.4 tons were in between border crossings, where people enter the country illegally.At a hearing July 12, James Mandryck, a Customs and Border Protection deputy assistant commissioner, said 73% of fentanyl seizures at the border since the previous October were smuggling attempts carried out by U.S. citizens, with the rest being done by Mexican citizens.Trump gets a nickname of his own: Donald DuckChristie has a new name for Trump �� Donald Duck.A former ally who broke with Trump over his election denial, Christie awarded the moniker to the absent Republican front-runner for skipping the debate.Speaking into the camera, Christie said, “I know you’re watching�� because “you can’t help yourself.�� And he accused Trump of being absent because “you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record.”“No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re going to call you Donald Duck.”Video below: Christie says he'll use skills gained as prosecutor to track, confront Donald TrumpPence reminds voters of his time as VPPence is using his time onstage to remind viewers he’s a White House alumnus.Twice asked a question about working to protect immigrants from deportation if they came with their parents as young children, Pence ignored it and emphasized his resume instead.The former vice president recalled how during the Trump administration, he had negotiated the policy to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico for court hearings in the U.S.“This is no time for on the job training,�� Pence said. “I’m going to be ready on Day 1.”Scott accuses Ramaswamy of being in business with CCPScott briefly shed his Mr. Nice Guy reputation to flame Ramaswamy for being “in business with the Chinese Communist Party.”The attack line, a reference to Ramaswamy’s former career as an entrepreneur, fulfilled a promise from Scott’s campaign that the South Carolina senator would be more aggressive after being overshadowed in the first debate.Ramaswamy responded angrily, leading to a long stretch of crosstalk that the moderators struggled to rein in.“When you all speak at the same time, no can understand you,�� said Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.Some of DeSantis' ideas for China match Biden's actionsDeSantis says the United States needs a “totally new approach to China.”Part of what he calls for Biden is already doing. That includes strengthening U.S. hard power in the Indo-Pacific. DeSantis does call for “decoupling�� the U.S. economy from China.Biden is trying to wean the U.S. supply chain off China but denies seeking to decouple the two economies.Burgum not waiting for his turnBurgum is looking for more talking time �� and he’s not being shy about it.The North Dakota governor interjected a couple of times in the first 20 minutes of Wednesday night’s debate, talking over moderators and his fellow hopefuls, in one response interjecting, “Nobody answered the question�� after others were asked about child care.“We will get you some questions,�� said moderator Dana Perino. “But you will have to let us move on.”There have already been several moments where the moderators struggled to get candidates to stop talking among themselves and focus on the question at hand.Candidates agree US economic future should be powered by gasGOP presidential candidates started their second debate by mostly agreeing that the U.S. economic future should be powered by gasoline.In lockstep, they all demonized the Biden administration’s support for electric vehicles. It’s a shift that is meant to limit the damages of climate change, but presidential candidates say it would hurt the U.S. auto sector and enrich China. The unanimity reflected the challenge candidates face to stand out on policy issues.“Joe Biden’s Green New Deal agenda is good for Beijing and bad for Detroit,�� Pence said.Burgum said unionized autoworkers are striking because their employers “need two-thirds less workers to build an electric car.”Ramaswamy went to his refrain that he would “unlock American energy, drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear energy.”DeSantis takes early swing at Trump in debateAfter taking criticism for going soft on Trump, DeSantis took a swing at him early in the debate.“And you know who is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,�� DeSantis said, blasting the former president for skipping the debate.The criticism came shortly after a similar attack from Christie, who said Trump “hides behind the walls of his golf clubs�� instead of answering questions.DeSantis�� swipe at Trump marks a definite shift for the Florida governor, who largely avoided pointed criticism of the former president in the first debate.Scott angling to be more of the conversationScott didn’t have much talking time during the first GOP debate, but he started to make up for that as soon as Wednesday night’s gathering got underway.The first question went to Scott, who caught criticism for saying “you strike, you’re fired�� about the United Auto Workers dispute. Scott quipped that Biden “should not be on the picket line, he should be on the southern border,�� turning the rest of his answer to concerns about border security.Scott also was asked to respond after Pence said Biden “belongs on the unemployment line,�� saying he disagreed with Scott.“There’s no doubt that Joe Biden needs to be fired,�� Scott said. “That’s why I’m running for president.”Republicans turn questions about autoworkers strike into Biden attackThe debate started with questions about the United Auto Workers strike, but the Republicans kept the focus squarely on Biden.“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border,�� said Scott, who got the first question.Next up was Ramaswamy, who said the workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.,�� because “that’s really where the protest needs to be.”Pence took a swing at it next. “Joe Biden doesn’t belong on the picket line. He belongs on the unemployment line.”Trump calls his rivals ‘the job candidates’As his rivals got ready to debate Wednesday night, Trump was railing against electric cars in a speech in Michigan.Trump, speaking at a non-union manufacturing plant outside out of Detroit, briefly referenced the proceedings about to begin in California.“We’re competing with the job candidates,�� he said of his rivals. “They’re all job candidates, they want to be in the �� they’ll do anything. Secretary of something. They even say VP, does anybody see any VP in the group? I don’t think so.”Biden zeroed in on GOP candidate missing from debateSeven candidates will be on stage for the second Republican primary debate, but Biden is keeping his focus on the one who isn’t there �� Trump.It’s a logical choice when the former president is the runaway favorite for his party’s 2024 nomination.“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy,�� Biden said Tuesday night at a California fundraiser.Biden plans to deliver his fourth in a series of presidential addresses about the state of democracy during a visit to Arizona on Thursday.The debate beginsThe second Republican presidential debate is underway in California.It’s being moderated by Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney and Fox News Channel host Dana Perino, as well as Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.The event is airing on Fox News Channel and Fox Business, as well as on the network’s website and other streaming and digital platforms. There’s also a Spanish-language feed airing on Univision.Here's some important questions that may be answered tonightThe first debate was dominated by Ramaswamy, who swung at everyone else on stage and was targeted in return. Will he seek the spotlight in the same way?Haley had a comparatively strong showing last time. Does she become a target?The pressure remains on DeSantis, who has sunk substantially in polls from his high point earlier this year. Will he be more aggressive?The biggest question is whether anyone on the stage will be playing to win. So far the campaign has been all about jostling for second place while Trump hogs the spotlight. Will any of the candidates target the front-runner, or will they keep hanging back and hoping for a political miracle?