Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will face off in the fourth Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night, one of the last meetings before their party’s first nominating contest in Iowa in less than six weeks, Reuters reported.

With Donald Trump leading by more than 40 percentage points in most opinion polls and Iowans set to choose their nominee on Jan. 15, DeSantis and Haley are quick to establish themselves as the obvious alternative for voters looking to bypass the former president.

Former tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will also take the debate stage in Tuscaloosa, Ala., but the spotlight will be on DeSantis and Haley.

DeSantis has a slight lead over Haley in national polls. But Haley has closed the gap and has significant leads over DeSantis in New Hampshire and his home state of South Carolina, crucial states in the race for the nomination because they are among the first to choose a candidate.

In Iowa, where the first Republican contest will take place on January 15, the two are effectively tied.

With no additional debates currently scheduled, Wednesday’s televised meeting could be the last chance for Haley and DeSantis to deliver a major blow to their opponent in front of a national audience.

Trump’s “promises”.

“The two people on the stage who have a chance to challenge Trump one-on-one are DeSantis and Haley,” said David Kochel, an Iowa Republican strategist. Koehl said it’s far from guaranteed that either candidate will have the kind of performance needed to swing the race.

Trump will skip the debate and hold a fundraiser in Florida, meaning neither candidate will have a chance to face the frontrunner.

During a public hearing Tuesday night on Fox News hosted by conservative commentator Sean Hannity, Trump said he would not become a dictator if re-elected president before “day one.” Trump said he would close the border with Mexico and expand oil production.

The comments drew fresh criticism from Democrats and some Republicans worried about Trump’s plans for a second term. They follow his call last week, when he spoke at a rally in Iowa, for his supporters to “protect the vote” in Philadelphia and two other Democratic-led cities.

Trump also vowed to go after his political enemies if he wins a second term.

US President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, said on Tuesday that he might not run for re-election in 2024 if he did not face Trump, who he sees as a unique threat to democracy, Reuters reported.