Four GOP Primary candidates take the debate stage Wednesday night

Tuscaloosa, AL (WCBD) – Four candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination are set to take the debate stage Wednesday night.

This is the fourth GOP debate this year; Wednesday night will be the smallest stage yet.

Only four candidates have qualified for this debate, which is the first GOP debate this year with now only one South Carolina native on stage.

Former Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, have all qualified for Wednesday’s debate.

Current polling has Former President Donald Trump leading, while Governor DeSantis and former Governor Haley are neck and neck for that second slot.

This debate could be vital to create separation between the two in the polls as candidates try to raise their profile tonight. Haley having a bump in public polls and increasing support from donors.

Ramaswamy and Christie are trailing behind, with the biggest gap in the polls being held by Former President Trump.

Moderators for tonight’s debate say as the fourth debate this will not only open the floor to more in-depth questions, but with fewer candidates that means more detailed answers than before.

“I’ve watched these candidates say,’ I’m going to seal the border,’ and I keep saying how? Now I get the chance to actually ask them, exactly how is that going to work,” said News Nation’s Elizabeth Vargas.

“Fewer candidates mean, much higher stakes. They’re not going to be able to give 30-second answers and move on,” said Host of SiriusXM`s “The Megyn Kelly Show,” Megyn Kelly.

Like the previous debates, the front runner in the polls, Former President Donald Trump, will not be participating.

The debate will air on NewsNation and The CW at 8 p.m.

Where to find The CW in the Charleston area:

• Over the air: 2.2
• AT&T U-Verse: 14
• Comcast Cable: 1180, 435
• WOW: 12, 918
• DirecTV: 3
• Dish Network: 3, 7892, 50
• Streaming on Hulu Live TV