Republican debate: Candidates square off as Trump refuses to take part
The stage was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Wednesday night for the first debate of the 2024 race, with eight Republican presidential candidates in attendance. However, the notable absence of former US president Donald Trump, the clear front-runner, was evident.
Instead of participating in the debate, Trump opted for an interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
While Trump’s interview was streamed simultaneously with the Republican debate, the remaining candidates took advantage of the opportunity to gain national prominence. However, amidst their efforts to outline their respective platforms, their voices often competed with one another.
The discussion covered a range of topics, including Russia’s war on Ukraine, climate change, crime, the US economy, and governance.
Once viewed as the heir apparent to Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has experienced a significant decline in the polls since the midterm elections last year. As governor, DeSantis has actively sought to combat what he refers to as “woke indoctrination” and has campaigned against including lessons on race and sexual orientation in classrooms.
DeSantis positioned himself as a presidential figure and criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy. In his opening remarks, he confidently stated, “I have demonstrated its success in the state of Florida. As your president, I promise to complete the job and not disappoint you.”
Other familiar names present at the debate included former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Known for his relentless attacks on Republican rivals in the 2016 debates, Christie proved to be a skilled debater. Haley, on the other hand, took the opportunity to condemn the entire Republican Party for the current state of the country’s economy. She stated, “The truth is, Biden didn’t bring this upon us. Our own Republicans did when they passed the $2.2 trillion Covid stimulus bill.”
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, whose popularity in recent polls has surged, and Senator Tim Scott sought to captivate the prime-time audience. Ramaswamy emphasized his non-political background, contrasting himself with career politicians. He received applause from the crowd of approximately 4,000 when he proclaimed, “If you have a broken car, you wouldn’t trust the ones who broke it to fix it. You’d hand it over to a new generation that can genuinely solve the problem. That’s why I’m running, and we’re just getting started.”
Former vice president, state governor, and representative Mike Pence, who served under Trump, responded to Ramaswamy’s claims, saying, “Joe Biden has weakened this country both domestically and internationally. This is not the time for on-the-job training. We shouldn’t bring in rookies without experience.”
Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, both polling below 1 percent, also participated, although their chances at victory seemed minimal. Several other candidates failed to meet the requirements for participation.
The “elephant not in the room” became apparent as nearly an hour passed on the debate stage without anyone mentioning Trump’s name, carefully avoiding the controversial subject. In response to a question about their support for Trump’s potential re-election, all candidates except Christie and Hutchinson raised their hands.
The significant influence Trump continues to wield over the party became evident when Christie drew loud boos for criticizing the former president. “Someone needs to stop normalizing this behavior,” Christie argued. “Regardless of the validity of the criminal charges, the conduct is unbecoming of the office of the President of the United States.”
However, not everyone shared Christie’s perspective. Ramaswamy vehemently defended Trump, stating, “Let’s speak the truth, alright? President Trump, in my opinion, was the best president of the 21st century.”
Foreign policy became a key topic of contention between Ramaswamy and DeSantis when both candidates expressed their intention to reduce military aid to Ukraine. Despite facing criticism for his limited foreign policy experience, Ramaswamy asserted, “In reality, Ukraine is not a priority for the United States of America.”
Contrarily, DeSantis emphasized that he would request more involvement from Europe. He stated, “I won’t be sending troops to Ukraine, but we need them at our southern border.”
Haley rebuked the candidates for their lack of support for Ukraine, emphasizing its importance as the United States’ first line of defense. Moreover, she accused Ramaswamy of wanting to “end funding for Israel.”
Haley, a former South Carolina governor, warned of the threat posed by Russia and its leader, President Vladimir Putin. In a heated exchange with Ramaswamy, she cited examples such as the reported death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the paramilitary Wagner Group, in a plane crash. “When I was at the UN, the Russian ambassador suddenly died. This man is a killer, and you’re supporting a murderer,” she passionately asserted.
The absence of Trump at the debate offered the eight candidates the opportunity to present themselves and gain ground against the former president in the eyes of US voters. Ramaswamy, with his rising poll numbers, became the subject of numerous attacks from Pence and Haley. The youngest candidate in the field aimed to show voters that he represented the fresh air that Republicans and America needed.
Despite all eight candidates desperately seeking to make their mark and catch up to Trump, it remains uncertain whether any managed to distinguish themselves enough to truly challenge the former president.
The next debate is scheduled for September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.