We will live-blog/open-thread the debate and embed a video feed as well. We’ll kick the festivities off around 7:45 pm EST. Be here or be square.

Los Angeles (CNN) — The pace of the 2012 race for the White House kicks into high gear Wednesday night, with the first of three Republican presidential debates scheduled over the next 15 days. And while it’s the fourth GOP debate so far this cycle, it’s the first to include Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who jumped into the race for the White House less than one month ago.

Joining Perry on the stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, will be former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who’s making his second bid for the GOP nomination, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who’s making third run for the White House, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman and former talk show host Herman Cain, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and former Utah Gov. and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman.

Five of the candidates — Romney, Paul, Gingrich, Bachmann and Cain — met Monday at the Palmetto Freedom Forum in Columbia, South Carolina. Perry was scheduled to attend, but canceled to return home to deal with the wildfires burning across Texas.