Ten Republican contenders for the 2008 US presidential election are taking part in their first debate.
Ten Republican contenders for the 2008 US presidential election have held their first debate.
Among those to brave the TV cameras at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, are Rudi Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney.
Among those to brave the TV cameras at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, were Rudi Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney.
Lesser-known candidates are hoping to raise their profile ahead of the primary elections early next year.
Lesser-known candidates are hoping to raise their profile ahead of the primary elections early next year.
The event comes a week after eight Democratic presidential hopefuls held their first debate in South Carolina.
The event came a week after eight Democratic presidential hopefuls held their first debate in South Carolina.
The Republican debate is being broadcast on cable channel MSNBC.
Predictably perhaps the war in Iraq dominated the early exchanges in the debate, with Arizona Senator McCain vowing to put greater pressure on Iran and to pursue Osama Bin Laden to, as he put it, the gates of hell.
It is being co-hosted by Washington-based blog site politico.com, which has invited questions to be put to the candidates.
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES Sam BrownbackJim GilmoreRudy GiulianiMike HuckabeeDuncan HunterJohn McCainMitt RomneyRon PaulTom TancredoTommy Thompson class="" href="/1/hi/puffbox/promo/regular/6621957.inc">Republicans face Iowa scrutiny Senator McCain, who has been an outspoken supporter of President George W Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq, was once seen as the clear favourite in the Republican race but he is currently trailing Rudi Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, who has been ahead in the polls for several months.
Iraq support
Mitt Romney, formerly the governor of Massachusetts, is vying to become the first Mormon to be elected president.
The debate will be the first opportunity for many potential voters to compare all the declared Republican candidates as they give their views.
He has done well with fundraising but trails the other two in the polls.
With 18 months to go to the election, it is unlikely this debate will prove decisive but it will serve to introduce many of the lesser known candidates to the wider public.
Former New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani is currently leading the polls, having taken a lead over rival Senator John McCain, whose campaign has failed to catch fire in its early stages.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who did well in fundraising for the first quarter of 2007, will hope to extend his appeal and improve his public opinion poll ratings.
The issue of the Iraq war is expected to dominate, with the contenders - notably Senator McCain - likely to be questioned over their support for President George W Bush's strategy in Iraq.
Other issues on the agenda are likely to include health care, the US fight against terrorism and the environment.
Candidates can each expect to have between seven and 10 minutes air time in the course of the 90-minute debate.
California clout
The debate's location in California takes on extra significance given its recent move to bring forward the date of its primary by four months, to 5 February 2008.
In previous years, nominations have essentially been decided by the time California - the most populous state in the US - chooses its delegates to the parties' national nominating conventions.
This time round, California will have more clout, meaning Republican and Democratic contenders will be keen to make an impression there.
Presidential candidates have usually campaigned little in California, but used the wealthy state as a source of funds for primary contests elsewhere.
Nancy Reagan, President Reagan's widow, is expected to attend the debate at her late husband's namesake library but is not scheduled to speak.
Announcing the event earlier this year, she said: "Ronnie always hoped the library would be a place where policymakers will debate the future.
"This presidential debate provides the opportunity to fulfil his wishes."
