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WATCH LIVE: Business Insider Today's Republican presidential primary debate with Gov. Bill Weld and former Rep. Joe Walsh

Grace Panetta   

WATCH LIVE: Business Insider Today's Republican presidential primary debate with Gov. Bill Weld and former Rep. Joe Walsh
Politics2 min read

gop debate livestream 2x1

On Tuesday, September 24, Business Insider Today is hosting a Republican presidential primary debate featuring former Gov. Bill Weld of Massachusetts and former Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois from 7 PM to 8:30 PM ET. 

Those two candidates, along with former Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, are challenging President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2020. 

While Trump declined our invitations to participate, and Sanford had a scheduling conflict, Weld and Walsh will make the case for their candidacies and discuss the future of the GOP.

Tune into Business Insider Today on Facebook or watch the debate here:

 

Weld, who announced his campaign in April, was the Republican governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997. He was Gary Johnson's running mate on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2016, but has since switched back to the GOP.

So far, Weld, who is challenging Trump from the center, hasn't been able to generate much buzz for his campaign.

Unlike Weld, Walsh is a staunch ideological conservative. But Walsh is betting on Republican fatigue with Trump's impulsive and dysfunctional governing style, the way he personally demonizes his opponents, and his frequent lies.

Read more: Republican primary voters are annoyed that their party is canceling primaries to benefit Trump

Even though Trump and Walsh are more ideologically similar than Trump and Weld, Walsh's hard-hitting, in-your-face style and near-constant onslaught of criticisms against Trump could damage the president going into the general election contest.

Both Walsh and Weld have gone all in to criticize Trump's behavior and conduct in office. The debate also comes as House Democrats prepare to launch an impeachment inquiry into Trump.

Walsh also told Insider he agrees with several of Trump's other policy positions, including his focus on nominating conservative judges, de-regulating private industry, aligning with the National Rifle Association of gun issues, and the administration's decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Read more: 

GOP presidential candidate Bill Weld accused Trump of committing treason and said death is 'the only penalty' for that crime

Trump's rivals for the 2020 Republican nomination are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to name recognition

Trump still hasn't locked down the support of 42% of conservatives who are open to a GOP primary challenger

Trump will likely survive his primary challenge from Joe Walsh - but history suggests that it could hurt him in the general election

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