US Republican presidential hopefuls are gearing up for a key televised debate in the run-up to the party's primary race.
The stage is set in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for Wednesday's face-off, with only four candidates remaining and front-runner Donald J. Trump notably absent.
The departures of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott from the race left more room for the remaining contenders to make an impact, with the Iowa caucuses less than six weeks away.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, South Carolina's former governor and ambassador to the UN, will be fighting to become the main rival to Trump. They aim to attract campaign donations, late endorsements and votes from registered independent and Democrat voters opposed to the former president's tough rhetoric and political agenda.
Meanwhile, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will fight for the spotlight, hoping to reinvigorate their struggling campaigns.
Haley's policy platform is gaining traction in the Republican primary race with endorsements from the Koch network and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
She has called for mental competency tests for politicians over 75, and seeks a national consensus on abortion, advocating for bans on late-term procedures, promoting adoptions and contraception — while not criminalizing women who have abortions, supporting healthcare providers' rights to refuse to perform them.
On foreign policy, Haley takes a confrontational stance towards Moscow and Beijing. She has voiced support for Taiwan in the event of a conflict with China and backs continued US aid to Ukraine and Israel, highlighting their significance in US foreign policy.
Haley is reportedly challenged to convince her new backers that their faith in her is not misplaced. She is faced with either posturing herself as the beacon for those within her party who are wary of Trump's shadow or pivoting to embrace his supporters.
DeSantis holds conservative views on several key issues. Domestically, he is a staunch opponent of abortion, advocating for restrictive laws such as Florida's six-week ban. On education, he opposes "woke ideology," seeking to limit discussions on sex and gender identity in schools. On immigration he aligns with Trump's policies, supporting strict measures, including constructing a border wall.
DeSantis has said he wants to keep the US out of some foreign issues, seeing the conflict in Ukraine as a local problem and argues Europe should take responsibility for Ukraine's defense. He views China as dangerous and wants America to be militarily stronger and less economically dependent on the Asian giant. But that contrasts to his unqualified support for Israel.
DeSantis faces a crucial challenge in Tuscaloosa: he must re-strake his claim to be the alternative to Trump and avoid being eclipsed by another heated exchange between Haley and Ramaswamy.
Vivek Ramaswamy's positionsd are a blend of traditional and unconventional ideas. He has criticized the fiscal policies of previous administrations. He has also raised concerns about data privacy with social media platforms like TikTok and stressed economic independence, particularly in technology and microchip production while advocating for innovation in healthcare and biotech.
Like DeSantis, Ramaswamy is a critic of 'woke' culture, especially in education and business, and has called for merit-based hiring and opposed identity politics.
In foreign policy, Ramaswamy proposes cutting US military aid to Ukraine, negotiating with Russia, taking a hard stance against China to ensure US semiconductor independence and has even suggested arming Taiwanese homeowners. He supports reducing financial aid to Israel in favour of self-reliance, and prefers a non-interventionist approach in global conflicts focusing on US interests. He has also expressed scepticism about the official account of the September 11 2001 attacks and wants a renewed probe into foreign involvement.
Christie has tried to cast doubt on Trump's leadership abilities in light of the criminal charges he faces. He advocated banning TikTok due to concerns over its influence on American youth and data privacy.
The New Jersey governor is a moderate on abortion, but has also supported raising the retirement age. Like Haley, he backs Ukraine against Russia.