Fox Business Network has revealed a new panel of moderators for the GOP primary debate.
The second debate in this critical political season will feature conservative political commentator Stuart Varney and Dana Perino, who co-anchors the Fox News program “America’s Newsroom,” Fox Business reported.
Univision’s Ilia Calderón will join the duo.
The debate is scheduled for Sept. 27 and will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California.
Fox News Media President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace expressed excitement at the selection of the moderator panel: “We are very proud to have Stuart Varney and Dana Perino co-moderating the second debate with Univision to provide Americans with a comprehensive view of the qualifying candidates vying for the Republican nomination for president.”
The inclusion of Calderón as a co-moderator signifies a strategic move to connect with the millions of Hispanic voters across the country, underlining the network’s dedication to informing this influential demographic.
Congrats to @DanaPerino and Stuart @Varneyco of @FoxBusiness and Ilia Calderon of @Univision for being named co-moderators for the 2nd GOP primary debate at the @RonaldReagan Library. You’ll be great! Warning -it IS a feisty bunch. #GOPDebate
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) August 30, 2023
Univision Executive Vice President Maria Martinez-Guzman expressed her enthusiasm for engaging Hispanic voters in the critical GOP primary, highlighting the network’s commitment to delivering fair and balanced information to its audience.
“As in past election cycles, we seek to inform Hispanic voters nationwide about their choices while representing our community’s issues during this election cycle,” Martinez-Guzman said.
The initial debate was co-moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum and drew a staggering 12.8 million total viewers, establishing itself as the most-watched, non-sporting event cable telecast of the year, Fox News reported.
Former President Donald Trump, whose campaign has brought in more than $9.4 million since his viral mugshot was released to the public last week, chose to skip the first debate.
It is expected that he may follow suit for the second event, citing his substantial lead in most national polls and what he has described as a “hostile” relationship with Fox leadership, The Hill reported.
JUST IN: Dana Perino and Stuart Varney to co-moderate the second GOP primary debate hosted by FOX Business at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.
Will you be tuning in? https://t.co/oYbexNyNgo
— Proud Elephant ??? (@ProudElephantUS) August 30, 2023
Trump has indicated his reluctance to participate in any of the GOP primary debates, which are slated to occur monthly in the lead-up to the Republican convention next summer, as he also defeated President Joe Biden in national polls despite being indicted.
Notably, the first GOP primary debate witnessed the rise of political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, who engaged in spirited exchanges with his Republican rivals.
Furthermore, Politico reported that the Republican National Committee has heightened the criteria for candidates to qualify for the second debate.
This includes a requirement of 50,000 unique donors, a substantial increase of 10,000 contributors from the first debate that took place on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Candidates must also meet a polling threshold of at least 3 percent in two national polls or 3 percent in one national poll and two key early primary state polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum shared the stage during the previous debate.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.