Eight candidates will seem onstage for the primary Republican debate on Wednesday. But a lot of the main focus will probably be on one one that received’t be there, Donald J. Trump.

The dynamic has left his opponents getting ready for an uncommon situation: debating amongst themselves whereas the front-runner with a commanding lead is completely absent.

Still, for Mr. Trump’s rivals, the controversy offers the most important viewers of the race to this point, and their first probability to not solely make an impression however to make the race a real contest.

Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican who ran the presidential debate gantlet twice and is his get together’s most distinguished elected Trump antagonist, provided this recommendation: “The key for them is not to focus on each other but the person who’s at the top. You gotta punch up.”

Yet even essentially the most viral second might rapidly be swept away in a wave of Trump-driven news. “In 99 out of 100 futures,” stated Newt Gingrich, the previous Republican presidential candidate and House speaker, “Donald Trump is the Republican nominee and he doesn’t even breathe heavy.”

But the eight candidates have a shot to current Republican voters with an alternate. How they make their case might make the 2024 major a contest and never a coronation.

Here are 9 issues which are more likely to outline the controversy.

How current is Trump, even when he’s absent?

A good portion of the controversy will almost certainly revolve round Mr. Trump, his felony indictments, his continued questioning of the 2020 election and his duty for the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. While the candidates have been requested about these points often, a debate permits for follow-up questions — heightening the presumably of a misstep.

Mr. Trump will nonetheless put his mark on the second. He has announced plans to try to upstage the debate with the discharge of a recorded on-line interview with the previous Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

And on Thursday, the previous president plans to give up to the authorities in Atlanta to face expenses within the case accusing him of election interference, an look more likely to dominate the news cycle and minimize into any bounce his rivals hope to obtain from the controversy.

Perhaps the candidate with essentially the most at stake on Wednesday is Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. The DeSantis staff expects him to be the goal of assaults. “The other candidates, a lot of them don’t really say much about Donald Trump, and they focus more on me,” Mr. DeSantis stated on Fox News Radio final week.

Mr. DeSantis is seen as Mr. Trump’s strongest challenger, however he has confronted weeks of dangerous press, marketing campaign shake-ups and sinking ballot numbers — in what generally is a self-reinforcing downward cycle. The debate is his alternative to vary the narrative.

But that technique was sophisticated final week when a collection of paperwork and a debate technique memo have been printed on the web site of a agency related to the tremendous PAC that has taken over a few of the fundamental components of Mr. DeSantis’s presidential marketing campaign.

The technique memo outlined “four basic must-dos” for the governor to parry away the assaults, together with going after Vivek Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur and writer who has gained floor in current weeks, and defending Mr. Trump within the face of assaults from Chris Christie, who has seized the function of chief Trump antagonist within the race.

The launch places Mr. DeSantis in a bind. If he punts on these assaults, he might miss the chance to undercut key rivals. If he follows by, he could look inauthentic and even like a puppet.

Can Pence make Republicans rethink?

In mock debate classes, Mike Pence, Mr. Trump’s vice chairman for 4 years, has ready to distinction his staunch opposition to abortion, assist for Ukraine and his give attention to financial development with the opposite candidates on the stage. Yet there’s one problem that a few of his advisers consider he should deal with to tug out of single digits in polling: his function certifying the 2020 election. The problem has dogged Mr. Pence, who has been criticized by Mr. Trump’s supporters and labeled a traitor.

The debate, his staff hopes, will nonetheless give Mr. Pence a much bigger stage to make the case that he usually does on the path — that he was simply following his constitutional responsibility on Jan. 6.

Mr. Ramaswamy, a rich entrepreneur and political novice, has gained traction by wooing MAGA supporters who desire a next-generation model of Mr. Trump. He has taken a collection of hard-right positions and has stated Mr. Trump’s “America First” agenda doesn’t go far sufficient.

Mr. Ramaswamy has taken a extra casual method to getting ready for the controversy, holding conversations on coverage with advisers as he travels the nation aggressively, visiting 9 states within the final week. A 38-year-old Harvard graduate, Mr. Ramaswamy has targeted on learning overseas coverage particularly. Victoria Coates, a former Trump administration official, has been amongst these giving him briefings, in response to a marketing campaign adviser. He prefers much less structured classes that don’t really feel overly produced, the adviser stated.

Many way more politically skilled contenders have met their finish below the brilliant lights of the controversy stage. Can Mr. Ramaswamy’s efficiency match his bluster?

How do coverage variations form the controversy?

Two points have divided the Republican discipline greater than any others: abortion rights and assist for Ukraine in its conflict towards Russia. The Ukraine conflict has uncovered a rift between the overseas coverage hawks and the anti-interventionist wing of the get together.

On abortion rights, a difficulty that has powered Democratic victories since Roe v. Wade was overturned final yr, Republicans have struggled to unify round a central place. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina says he’ll combat for a 15-week federal ban, Mr. Pence has expressed assist for a six-week ban and Mr. Christie says the difficulty needs to be left to every particular person state.

Mr. Pence, Mr. Scott and Nikki Haley, the previous United Nations ambassador below Mr. Trump, plan to spotlight these variations, seeing a chance to win assist amongst completely different get together factions. How Republican voters reply will provide some early clues into the ideological way forward for the get together, significantly in a post-Trump period.

Will Christie flip his firepower on DeSantis?

Aside from Mr. Trump, Mr. Christie is essentially the most skilled debater within the discipline, with a knack for touchdown memorable assaults. He participated in eight face-offs in the course of the 2016 election, and helped coach Mr. Trump for his presidential debates in 2020.

So far, he has targeted a lot of his firepower on Mr. Trump — in a candidacy that some rivals see largely as a kamikaze mission to forestall the previous president from recapturing the nomination. The debate gives Mr. Christie a chance to take intention at these aligned with Trumpism, even when they’re against Mr. Trump. In current days, he has signaled that such assaults might be coming, significantly towards Mr. DeSantis and his claims that he’s essentially the most electable within the discipline.

“If you like Coca-Cola and Coke comes out with New Coke, and Coke is still available, well, you’re going to buy Coke because what do you need New Coke for?” he stated in a current city corridor in New Hampshire, arguing that Republicans wanted a more true various to Mr. Trump than Mr. DeSantis. “Ron DeSantis is New Coke.”

The senator from South Carolina has campaigned throughout the nation with an upbeat, future-focused message that leans closely on his compelling private story. There has been some proof it’s working: In current weeks, his standing has crept up steadily in polls.

But whereas Mr. Scott has been gaining floor, he stays mired in single digits in most early-state polling. The debate is an opportunity for him to get a bounce. But will a constructive message break by in a debate that might simply change into a referendum on Mr. Trump and the previous election?

Can Haley make it occur?

Ms. Haley, a former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador, entered the race in February, earlier than another candidate apart from Mr. Trump. She has campaigned at a grueling pace by Iowa and New Hampshire. But to this point, she has little to indicate for her efforts. Her ballot numbers have barely moved. And Mr. Scott, her residence state rival, has surpassed her in each early-voting states.

Ms. Haley has urged voters to not depend her out in not-so-subtle methods, exhibiting up on the Iowa State Fair in a shirt that learn, “Underestimate me. That’ll be fun.” Yet major voters have expressed little curiosity within the lone lady within the Republican race.

Aides say she views the controversy because the kickoff to the autumn season of the marketing campaign, when voters will begin tuning into the first race. But can she will make them listen?

How will lower-tier candidates introduce themselves?

Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota went to nice lengths to qualify for the controversy stage, at one level even providing $20 reward playing cards in change for $1 donations. But to this point, the billionaire former software program government has but to interrupt 3 p.c in Iowa. The problem, Mr. Burgum and his staff argue, is essentially one among familiarity. The debate gives Mr. Burgum his largest — and presumably solely — probability to make his pitch. “The important part was making the debate,” he stated in a quick interview in Iowa.

Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas faces an identical must introduce himself to voters. He stated the very best recommendation he acquired for the large night time was blunt: “Don’t make it boring.”

For his half, Mr. Burgum just isn’t inserting numerous stress on his efficiency on Wednesday night time. “For us, we don’t have to hit home runs, grand slams, any of that stuff,” he stated. “We’re just on the stage with everybody else, being ourselves.”