The stage was set, the rhetoric sharp, as Republican presidential contenders clashed in the first GOP debate, each vying to position themselves as the top alternative to the frontrunner, former President Donald Trump. While Trump himself opted to skip the high-stakes event in Milwaukee, his shadow loomed large over the proceedings.
The GOP debate
The debate, hosted by Fox News moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, kicked off with a flurry of criticisms directed at President Joe Biden’s economic policies and what the candidates labeled as unchecked government expenditures. Applause rang out as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared, “Our country is in decline.”
Though absent from the stage, Trump remained central to the discussion. The moderators probed the candidates on how they intended to distinguish their approach from the former president’s commanding style and policies, which have given him an early lead in the race.
With the Iowa caucuses just around the corner, the debate carried high stakes for lower-polling contenders. This was their moment to make an impactful introduction to a nation of voters who are only beginning to tune into the fast-evolving political landscape. Among the candidates, the spotlight was particularly intense on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who launched his campaign amid great fanfare in May. However, since then, he has grappled to gain momentum and now finds himself striving to cling to his distant second-place standing.
GOP debate contenders
Sharing the stage were notable figures including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Despite an Achilles tendon injury that landed him in the hospital, Burgum’s commitment led him to participate in the debate.
The stakes are notably high as recent polling by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research unveiled that a significant 64% of Americans are inclined not to support Trump if he emerges as the GOP nominee, including 53% who say they would definitely not support him.
The debate is being held at the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, the arena that is home to the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.
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