Eight Republican presidential candidates met on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night. Former President Donald Trump didn’t participate, of course. Given his big poll lead, he insisted that his presence would only help his lesser rivals. Instead, Trump sat down for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that was streamed online.
By not going, Trump sought to undermine the significance of the debate. But his absence also offered his opponents an opportunity to break out with millions of voters watching. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s chief rival, had perhaps the most to gain — or lose. But several others were also positioned to take advantage of a strong debate showing on the national stage.
Here are our early takeaways from an action-filled night:
VIVEK GRABS THE SPOTLIGHT
At the center of the stage, and the center of the hottest exchanges in the first part of the debate, was a 38-year-old man who no one expected to be there even a few months ago – a novice candidate and technology entrepreneur named Vivek Ramaswamy.
Though he’s well behind Trump, Ramaswamy has crept up in recent polls, leading to his position next to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at center stage. And he quickly showed why when he showcased his ready-for-video, on-message approach, talking about how his poor parents moved to the U.S. and he had the ability to found billion-dollar companies.
Then Ramaswamy tried to show he wasn’t a regular politician and started to throw elbows. At one point he declared “I’m the only person on the stage who isn’t bought and paid for.” He slammed his rivals as “superPAC puppets” who were using “readymade, pre-prepared slogans” to attack him.
He seemed to be betting that primary voters preferred something memorable said to something done. His rivals were having none of it.
“Now is not the time for on the job training,” former vice president Mike Pence said. “We don’t need to bring in a rookie.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie cut in during one of Ramaswamy’s most biting attacks. “I’ve had enough of a guy who stands up here who sounds like ChatGPT,” Christie said, adding that Ramaswamy’s opening line about being a skinny guy with a hard-to-pronounce name reminded him of former President Barack Obama, not a compliment on a Republican stage.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley had a tart response to the verbal brawl. “This is exactly why Margaret Thatcher said if you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman,” she said.
DISSENSION ON ABORTION POST-DOBBS
The Republicans on stage did not downplay their strong opposition to abortion rights when given the opportunity. But there was a clear divide among the candidates over whether to push for a federal abortion ban.
Haley, the only woman on stage, called on her opponents to be honest with voters that a federal law that imposes an abortion ban on all states would likely never get through the narrowly divided Congress. She said the issue should be sent back to the states. She also made a personal appeal.
“We need to stop demonizing this issue,” Haley said. “We aren’t going to put a woman in jail … if she has an abortion.”
On the other side: Pence, an evangelical Christian who has long fought against abortion rights. Both Pence and Scott openly endorsed a national ban on abortions at 15 weeks at least.
Pence said that Haley’s call to find consensus on the issue in the states “is the opposite of leadership.”
“It’s not a states-only issue. It’s a moral issue,” he said.
As for DeSantis, who signed a 6-week abortion into Florida law just this spring, he didn’t take a position on a federal ban when asked directly.
He said he was “proud” to sign his state’s abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the nation.
Democrats were likely happy with the discussion. They already plan to make abortion a central issue in next fall’s general election.
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