As DeSantis and Haley face off in Iowa GOP debate, urgency could spark fireworks

By STEVE PEOPLES
AP National Political Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Just two Republican presidential candidates, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, will meet on the debate stage Wednesday night. The seventh official debate of the 2024 campaign comes just five days before the Iowa caucus. The big front-runner, Donald Trump, was the only other candidate to meet the polling threshold to participate. But as he has six times before, Trump declined to show up given his overwhelming lead in the polls. The timing and the location creates a real sense of urgency for both candidates, who are locked in a battle for distant second place in Iowa. They see this debate as a huge opportunity to generate momentum when it matters most.