Debate
Republican presidential candidates (left to right) Gov. John Kasich, Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Marco Rubio, businessman Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, Dr. Ben Carson and former Gov. Jeb Bush pose together before the start of the Fox Business Network Republican presidential candidates debate in Charleston, South Carolina, Jan. 14, 2016. Reuters/Chris Keane

In the final debate before the Iowa caucuses, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio are scheduled to take center stage in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday evening in the Fox News-Google debate. Republican front-runner and businessman Donald Trump will be noticeably absent after refusing to appear in the event.

The prime-time debate begins at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. EST) following an undercard debate at 7 p.m. EST taking place at the Iowa Events Center. Both debates are available for free online at FoxNews.com. Click here to watch the live stream.

The debate is also available on the Fox News channel and Fox News radio.

Cruz, Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul will headline the main debate. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore are slated to take part in the undercard event.

Both Santorum and Huckabee said they would join Trump at his event for military veterans he has scheduled for the same time as the prime-time debate, the New York Times reported. Trump’s campaign has said the event would be meant to raise money for wounded veterans, although the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization has said the group would decline any donations from the event.

“We’re going to raise a lot of money for the veterans. A lot of money is going to be raised,” Trump said while speaking with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. “A lot of people are going to be there, and I can do some good.”

Fox News anchors Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace will moderate the prime-time event. Kelly and Trump have a history of acrimonious exchanges, with the businessman claiming the reporter has a bias against him. Fox News anchors Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum will moderate the undercard debate.

The next Republican debate is scheduled for Feb. 6 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

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