On Wednesday, Republican presidential hopefuls took the stage at the Milwaukee GOP debate while former President Donald Trump remained absent. Trump, instead, opted for a virtual interview on Elon Musk's X platform with Tucker Carlson.
What Happened: Nine GOP candidates participated in two separate forums. Eight candidates, looking to distinguish themselves and gain ground in the race, shared the stage in Milwaukee.
Despite his absence from the debate, Trump’s presence was palpable as the candidates vied for a chance to step up and challenge his commanding lead in the race.
These are the top 5 takeaways from the first GOP debate held on Wednesday:
Ron DeSantis Berates Trump and Mike Pence
Ron DeSantis reproached the Trump administration, including Mike Pence, for “locking down the economy” during the pandemic. He also lambasted their decision to make Dr. Anthony Fauci the primary spokesperson for the nation’s response.
"As your president, I will never let the deep state bureaucrats lock you down. You don't take somebody like Fauci and coddle him!" DeSantis said, CNBC reported.
"You bring Fauci in, you sit him down, and you say 'Anthony, you are fired."
See Also: Mike Pence's Game Plan For Upcoming GOP Debate: ‘I'm Just Going To Be Me'
Nikki Haley Takes On Trump, Desantis, Pence And Scott In Republican Primary Debate
Nikki Haley launched a bold offensive against her fellow Republicans, including Trump, DeSantis, Pence, and Tim Scott. Haley blamed her Republican colleagues for the country’s reckless government spending. She pointed out their role in passing a $2.2 trillion Covid stimulus bill.
“No one is telling the American people the truth. Biden didn't do this to us, our Republicans did this to us, too."
"You have Ron DeSantis, you've got Tim Scott, you've got Pence, they all voted to raise the debt, and Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt and our kids are never going to forgive us for this," Haley said, CNBC reported.
Senator Tim Scott Blasts Biden Administration For Increased Inflation And Government Spending
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) criticized President Joe Biden and his administration for what he perceives as excessive government spending. He attributed the surge of inflation and the rise in mortgage rates to the current administration’s policies.
Under Biden, "we've seen inflation explode" and noted how mortgage rates are up to around 7%, he said, CNBC reported.
Ramaswamy Presents Himself As The Outsider Needed To Lead Republican Party
Vivek Ramaswamy positioned himself as the needed outsider for the party. He claimed the current moment demands a shift from professional politicians. Ramaswamy commenced the debate with a self-introductory question: “Who is he and what the heck is he doing in the middle of this debate stage?”
"I do think it's going to take an outsider. Because for a long time we've had professional politicians in the Republican Party who have been running from something, now is our moment to run to something," he said, CNBC reported.
Pence then swiped at Ramaswamy, saying, "We don't need to bring in a rookie. We don't need to bring in people with no experience."
Audience Boos Chris Christie At The GOP Debate
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie faced a cold reception from the crowd. He was the sole candidate to be booed during the event’s opening minutes.
Christie is recognized as the most vocal critic of the GOP frontrunner, former President Trump, within the party’s contenders.
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