Then there were seven. The second Republican presidential debate will proceed Wednesday minus former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who didn't make the cut in polling this time. That Hutchinson was arguably the least craven, most dignified candidate on stage during the first debate in August speaks volumes about today's GOP. Dignity gets you nowhere.

What's left is a collection of bench players who allegedly are running to deny the nomination to Donald Trump — though for the most part, you wouldn't know it. Most of them continue to rhetorically tip-toe around the repeatedly indicted, increasingly irrational ex-president as if he's a terrifying specter from a Harry Potter film: They don't even want to say his name.

The exceptions are entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is very obviously auditioning to be Trump's running mate by demonstrating what an obnoxious MAGA lickspittle he can be; and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose only goal in the race appears to be reclaiming some sliver of the soul he sold to Trump in 2016 by attacking him now at every turn.

At least someone is doing it.

For the second time, Trump has opted not to give Republican voters the opportunity to see him lined up on stage with his opponents, taking questions from a moderator. For this continuing display of cowardice, Republican voters have rewarded Trump with a seemingly insurmountable lead in primary polls.

To Ramaswamy, Christie and the others who will debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — here are a few questions we hope the moderator will ask (though we don't expect it, given that it's being moderated by Fox News):

— During the debate, Trump will be in Michigan, trying to sidle up to striking auto workers. Yet as the president who signed a 2017 Republican tax cut package that will add some $2 trillion to the federal debt, mostly to profit the wealthy, Trump has effectively helped widen the appalling gap between skyrocketing CEO salaries and stagnant worker wages.

Is any single one of you willing to call out Trump on this hypocrisy?

— Trump made news in South Carolina this week by visiting a gun shop and expressing interest in buying a gun — something he couldn't legally do under federal law because he is facing indictment for multiple felonies.

A two-fold question, candidates:

One, in a nation reeling with some of the worst gun violence in the world, are you willing to say that it's the height of irresponsibility for a serious presidential contender to stoke divisions over firearms with this reckless stunt?

And, two, are you at all embarrassed for yourselves and your party that each of you is polling far behind a man who literally cannot legally buy a gun because of his criminal legal issues?

— Trump this week demonstrated yet again — not once, but twice — that he is a wannabe autocrat who is itching to abuse the power of the presidency in deeply frightening ways.

He suggested that outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Army Gen. Mark Milley should be executed for communicating with his counterparts in China (which is part of his job).

Trump also suggested that as president, he will investigate Comcast, parent company for NBC and MSNBC, "for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events." Meaning, we guess, that the First Amendment is in part what Trump had in mind when he called last year for the "termination" of the U.S. Constitution.

Candidates, will any one of you (other than probably Christie) address the fact that the presidential frontrunner of your party now so openly speaks the language of early 20th century dictators that his potential return to the White House clearly qualifies as an existential threat to American democracy?

We don't expect any of the candidates to be asked any of these questions. And if they are, we don't expect any of them (with the possible exception of Christie) to directly answer them. Faced with an opponent who has more baggage than an airliner cargo hold, they will mostly skirt any issue that might anger or even annoy him.

Which brings us to our final question for these candidates:

— Do any of you actually want this nomination? Because you sure aren't acting like it.

REPRINTED FROM THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Photo credit: Miguel Henriques at Unsplash