A narrower field of GOP candidates will gather tonight in Miami for the highly anticipated third Republican presidential debate of 2023. Former President Donald Trump, who maintains a substantial lead in the polls, has declined to participate, leaving the stage to five contenders vying for the Republican nomination.

The debate follows a strong showing by Democrats in recent elections, providing a glimpse into the attitudes of voters one year ahead of the presidential election. Notable victories include Ohio voters choosing to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution, marking a landmark decision for a GOP-led state since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In addition, Virginia Democrats successfully won control of both chambers in the state's legislature, while Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear secured re-election in his traditionally conservative state.

Tonight's debate will be hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, commencing at 8 p.m. ET and lasting for two hours. Moderating the event will be NBC's Lester Holt and Kristen Welker, alongside radio host Hugh Hewitt.

Viewers across the nation can catch the debate on NBC stations and stream it on NBC News NOW, the outlet's streaming service. The event will also be available for free viewing on NBCNews.com, as well as on platforms like Peacock and other streaming services, starting at 8 p.m.

The Republican National Committee, responsible for sanctioning the debate, established specific criteria for participation. Candidates needed to achieve a minimum polling threshold of 4% in either two national surveys or a combination of one national survey and two surveys from the early-nominating states. Moreover, candidates were required to receive contributions from at least 70,000 individuals before the 8 p.m. deadline on Monday.

Out of the numerous candidates, five emerged as qualifiers for tonight's debate. Notably absent from the stage will be former Vice President Mike Pence, who participated in the first two debates but withdrew from the race last month. Meanwhile, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson failed to meet the necessary requirements.

The previous two debates have had minimal impact on the dynamics of the race amongst Republican primary voters. According to the latest CBS News poll, Donald Trump maintains a significant lead, capturing 61% of likely Republican primary voters nationwide, surpassing the combined total of all other candidates. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis follows with 18%, followed by former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 9%, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy at 5%, Senator Rick Scott at 4%, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at 2%.

Intriguingly, the various criminal indictments against former President Trump have seemingly had little effect on the opinions of likely GOP primary voters. The same CBS News poll revealed that only 12% of respondents view Trump negatively due to these indictments, with 54% stating that they "don't matter."

Nikki Haley has subsequently closed the gap with Ron DeSantis in Iowa, the first state in the 2024 primary calendar. A recent poll conducted by the Des Moines Register shows both candidates tied at 16%, with Trump maintaining a sizable lead at 43%.

While Donald Trump will not participate in the Miami debate, he is not keeping silent. Instead, he will be holding a rally in Hialeah, Florida, located just half an hour away from the debate site. Trump's engagement in his ongoing civil fraud case in New York is one of several legal challenges he currently faces.

With tensions running high, it is expected that Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis will engage in fierce exchanges on stage. In a recent video, Haley took aim at DeSantis, criticizing his record on fracking and drilling, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense and pivotal debate for the Republican candidates.

As the countdown begins to the third Republican debate of 2023, political pundits and viewers alike eagerly await the clash of ideas and platforms amongst the five candidates competing for the GOP nomination.