Milwaukee preps for Republican presidential debate

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The Republican primary debate is set to take place Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Eight Republican presidential candidates will descend on Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum. Former President Donald Trump will not attend Wednesday's event.

He is expected to turn himself in to authorities in Georgia on Thursday, where he faces charges in Fulton County's case alleging 2020 election interference.

Trump is presently the GOP front runner.

"President Trump has already won the debate. He's going to have a larger than life presence over the entire debateand all of the policies that are going to be debated are going to be President Trump's policies. When you talk about how to improve our economy, everyone is going to say we want to have it just like Trump. When you say how do we secure our southern border, they are going to say here's how we did it with President Trump."

Jason Miller, Senior Advisor for the Trump campaign

"President Trump is up 54 points in the real clear politics average. I believe its 54 points. That's astronomical. The primary is over, this is a waste of time and I don't think it serves him well to go in with a news outlet like FOX news, which has already decided who they've go their money on, which horse they've got their money on, it's anybody but Trump and its going to be biased moderators going after the president. And so I don't think it serves him well to give them the ratings that they want. He's already proven himself in this job. This may be a job interview, but President Trump's already done the job and proven to the American people through the prosperity that we enjoy, through a solid, strong economy where everybody was doing better, that he can do the job."

Kari Lake, Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate

"He's so far ahead in the polls. I would personally I would like for him to have shown up. Just because I would like to have seen him mop the floor with everyone else."

Dan Hanning, a Trump supporter