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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Nicola Slawson

First Thing: Trump’s rivals accuse him of being ‘missing in action’ at Republican debate

From left, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, former Governor from South Carolina and UN ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, US Senator from South Carolina Tim Scott and former US Vice President Mike Pence attend the second Republican presidential primary debate
From a foray into the sex life of Mike Pence, far right, and extreme yet vague proposals on gun control, candidates competed for an edge. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty

Good morning.

The absence of Donald Trump played a central role in the second Republican primary debate of the 2024 election season, as seven White House hopefuls tried and mostly failed to shake up a race in which the former president remains the clear frontrunner.

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