
Candidates vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination met at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, Calif. Wednesday night for a second debate, and though former President Donald Trump was not present, he loomed large over the event.
Several candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, said Trump — who currently has a sizable lead in the crowded field — should have been on stage defending his record. Trump has missed both Republican debates so far.