Spadea’s perspective from NJ: What to expect from the Republican presidential debate

Tonight is the GOP presidential debate for the 2024 primary.

The first contest is still a few months away, but Americans will get a glimpse of a crowded field of candidates tonight, if you can sit through two grueling hours of sniping back and forth.

Here are my predictions.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is going to have to reclaim his strength as one of the top governors in the nation.

His track record, winning in a blue state and then leading his state through the lockdown madness and reopening proved successful. His campaign so far has not reflected his success.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has pushed a strategy of representing himself as the leading Never Trump candidate and if you look at the recent polls in New Hampshire, the strategy is working.

Christie is running second with rising numbers every week. His goal tonight should be to expand beyond the anti-Trump campaign and show voters why he's ready to lead the nation and defend us against the true enemy, China.

The unexpected rise of a brand-new name, Vivek Ramaswamy, has made the race way more interesting than the regular crowd of senators and governors.

Vivek (pronounced Viv-ake) has been hitting the theme embraced by a growing number of Americans that the greatest problem we have at home is our own lying, intrusive government.

This will be a chance to separate from the field and show that he's the one with the guts to take on the obvious corruption in plaguing the FBI, IRS and other government bureaucracies.

He's young and new to politics and so far is providing a breath of fresh air to many voters disgusted with politics as usual.

As far as the former president, I fully support Trump skipping the debates.

He's way out in front, by as much as 30 points in some polls, and shouldn't give the Fox network the ratings boost that they'd get if he were on stage.

The news networks have gone out of their way to trash him and suppress his message, so he's right to snub them.

That said, Trump deserves support simply because of the political persecution that has jeopardized the integrity of our justice system as the current regime chose to weaponize the FBI and Justice Department in an attempt to suppress a political opponent.

We'll see if the Republicans have the strength, courage, vision and message to overcome a powerful and corrupt adversary.

Seems many Americans are looking for change, especially among independents who are leaning Trump over Biden in recent polling.

There's a lot riding on the 2024 election and tonight is the first glimpse of the competition.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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