Why Trump’s opponents still think they can beat him

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (NewsNation) — Despite poll after poll showing a commanding lead for his old boss, former Vice President Mike Pence and the other six Republicans who participated in Wednesday’s debate are keeping the faith.

“I think it’s clear that more than half of Republicans are looking for new leadership in our party and sorting that out,” Pence told NewsNation the morning after the second GOP debate. “And a debate like last night allows people to begin to sort that out.”

Former President Donald Trump skipped the debate yet again, but that didn’t stop candidates from going after him as they try to chip away from some of his 40-plus point lead. Many candidates ramped up their attacks in the hope of changing the race’s landscape.

“I respect Donald Trump,” entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy told NewsNation. “But the America first agenda doesn’t belong to one man. It doesn’t belong to me. It doesn’t belong to him, it belongs to the people.”

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also made a point to throw attacks at Trump.

Christie called out Trump for skipping the debate yet again, saying his rivals will soon be calling him “Donald Duck.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who struggled to break through Wednesday, lamented his lack of attention on topics he believes he has expertise in, like energy and business.

Nevertheless, he doesn’t see Trump’s lead as insurmountable.

“All I know is that in the states where everybody’s campaigning, his numbers are in the low 40s,” Burgum said after the debate. “They’re not 60. So people are taking votes away from him because Americans are looking for a choice.”

So when will the GOP candidate field begin to shrink?

“It will get even smaller right after Iowa, and so when I’m sitting in that primary in New Hampshire after Iowa, I bet you’re only going to see three or four viable candidates left,” Christie said.

Most every candidate who spoke with NewsNation said at some point the field will have to get smaller, but none of the presidential hopefuls said they’re ready to be the first ones out.

Pence said the American people know that the U.S. needs new leadership in the Republican party, and he’s going to continue to make that case. The former president has walked away from his previous approach, Pence said, embracing populism over conservatism.

“He has changed his policies, and I haven’t,” Pence said.