Politico: “On the eve of the fourth debate Wednesday night at the University of Alabama, the data is clear: Haley’s rise can be clearly traced to her performance in the first three meetings between the candidates, as can Vivek Ramaswamy’s decline. Though he remains in second place, Ron DeSantis’ once-promising candidacy has stalled.”
“But former President Donald Trump’s grip on the nomination has only strengthened, undisturbed by the debates ostensibly aimed at helping pick a nominee. While it wasn’t obvious at first that the former president’s decision to skip the debates would pay off, there’s little doubt that Trump is more likely to be the GOP nominee now than when his rivals first appeared on stage without him in late August.”
Playbook: “As for what to expect tonight, the smaller stage means more opportunities for extended tussling between the candidates. And you can expect plenty of drama between DeSantis and Haley, the two leading Trump alternatives.”
