GOP Presidential Contenders Were Actually Asked To Play 'Vote Off The Island' In Fiery Primary Debate: Here's How They Responded

GOP presidential candidates in the second Republican primary debate declined to name a fellow competitor to “vote off the island” and exit the race.

What Happened: The debate moderator, Dana Perino from Fox Business Network, posed the question to the candidates.

She asked, "It's now obvious that if you all stay in the race, former president Donald Trump wins the nomination. None of you have indicated that you're dropping out. So which one of you onstage tonight should be voted off the island?"

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Despite being presented with notepads and markers to jot down their choice, candidates like former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flatly refused to participate.

Haley asked, "Are you serious?"

DeSantis, currently second in the polls behind Trump, stated, “With all due respect…we're happy to debate. I think that that's disrespectful to my fellow competitors.”

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie also declined, initially reaching for his marker before stating, “I'm not doing it.” Christie later stated that he would “vote Donald Trump off the island right now”, further criticizing Trump’s divisive impact on the party and the country.

"Look, this guy has not only divided our party. He's divided families all over this country. He's divided friends all over this country," Christie said.

Why It Matters: This unusual question was presented during a debate marked by fervent exchanges over political platforms and personal views.

The debate took place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Wednesday night, with seven Republican presidential candidates participating.

With candidates refusing to step down, there are concerns that vote splitting could hinder the emergence of a viable alternative to Trump. Currently, the seven candidates on stage collectively have the support of 36% of Republican primary voters, according to RealClearPolitics national polling average.

Trump, who did not participate in the debate, is polling nationally at more than 56%.

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