How to watch the Fox News Republican Presidential Debate live stream tonight

  • Update: The Fox Business Network Republican Presidential Debate full video replay is available to watch online below via YouTube and the official Fox website.

Fox Business Network is hosting the Republican Presidential Debate live stream tonight, and if you watch it on television, online or in person in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, you'll notice a few differences.

First, the debate going to focus on the economy, with questions about jobs, taxes and and fiscal discipline. This is where real estate mogul Donald Trump may excel, and surgeon Ben Carson could be tested.

Yes, this is the second Republican Presidential debate in a row to test the candidate's economic prowess, but Fox promises a more substantive, anti-CNBC forum that doesn't take pot shots at the people on stage.

Second, the candidates are changing, or at least becoming scarcer. Eight US Presidential hopefuls, instead of ten, will be a part of the main debate at 9pm ET, 5pm PT, while four are in the earlier debate.

Here's how you can tune into the two debates happening tonight, and if you don't get the channel, you can always call your cable company and... demand it.

How to watch the Fox Business Presidential debate live stream

Fox Business Network, or FNB, is requiring that you watch the debate on television, or at least have cable or satellite credentials to log into the live stream online through a computer or mobile device.

how to watch the Fox Business Presidential Debate live stream

This requires knowing your (or a family member or friend's) username and password. It's behind what we like (or dislike) to call a cable gate, while the full video replay is typically free the next day.

We get it. That sucks, and we're going to hear it in the comments, but that's just how these people get paid until everyone adopts a new business model in the slowly changing word of cable television.

Here's the best link to live stream the Fox Business debate. Fox News and FNB both have a competent live streaming video player compared to the likes of CNN and especially MSNBC. Your money well spent.

The other option to consider is the Fox Business app on iOS and Android. It's available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores, respectively, and is a free download.

Like FBN's website, you'll need to authenticate your cable subscription before you get anywhere, but it's a solid back-up solution in case you can't get to a computer in time for tonight's big event.

When did the Fox Business Presidential Debate start?

This is always a tricky question. It really depends on which debate you want to watch. The first debate, known as the undercard debate, started at 7pm ET and 4pm PT.

Fox Business News Republican Presidential Debate

It was an hour later than other debates, which put it at a better time for everyone in the West coast of the US. The prime time debate ran a little later for everyone else on the East coast, though.

The main Presidential Debate live stream happened just two hours later. It kicked off at 9pm ET and 6pm PT, which, again, was an hour later than we're used to and much appreciated from everyone watching in California and fighting traffic at that time.

Here's the full video from the first half of tonight's debate:

Who's in the Fox Business Presidential Debate start?

Tonight's FNB debate is going to be different from every past debate because of the podium count on stage. Instead of ten candidates in the main debate, it'll just be eight.

Gone are candidates current New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Governor Mike Huckabee, which are both demoted to the undercard debate at 7pm ET. This may or may not be a bad thing for them, with more time to shine on stage and answer questions. We'll see tonight.

Left on stage are leaders business mogul Donald Trump, surgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, current Florida Senator Marco Rubio, current Texas Senator Ted Cruz, current Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, current Ohio Governor John Kasich and former HP executive Carly Fiorina.

how to watch the Fox Business Presidential Debate live stream

The undercard debate is made up of Christie, Huckabee, and current Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

Gone from this initial, earlier debate are former New York Governor George Pataki, current South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and the rarely seen former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore.

Who's moderating the debate?

You can look forward to what should be fair questions from the three Fox Business Network Republican Presidential debate moderators. The earlier debate will be moderated by Fox Business' anchors Sandra Smith and Trish Regan, as well as Wall Street Journal Washington Bureau Chief Gerald Seib.

In the later debate, two of Fox Business Network anchors Maria Bartiromo and Neil Cavuto, will take up spots on the sidelines to pose questions to the candidates.

Bartiromo has a storied career in news broadcasting, getting her start at CNN Business News as a producer and assignment editor in 1988 before moving to CNBC where she stayed for nearly 20 years.

Fox Business News Republican Presidential Debate

Neil Cavuto similarly has been working at Fox since 1996 and has held multiple roles including managing editor of business news and television anchor of Your World with Neil Cavuto on Fox News Channel in July 1996, later becoming a vice president of business news.

The last moderator of the later debate is Gerard Baker, the editor-in-chief of Wall Street Journal.

With candidates being shuffled into the earlier debate, and the prime time debate being more focused, this may be the night to watch on Fox Business Channel. Enjoy live streaming the video tonight.

Continue on from the previous CNBC debate highlights.

Matt Swider