GOP Presidential Candidates Meet In Milwaukee

On August 23, 2023, Fox News hosted the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle.

Held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the debate featured the following eight participants:

Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota;

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie;

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida;

Former South Carolina Governor and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley;

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson;

Former Vice President and former Indiana Governor Mike Pence;

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy of Ohio; and

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Like most of the other candidates, Gov. Doug Burgum and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson are both qualified to be president of the United States. However, neither candidate has built up much of a following; each is polling at less than 1%. Nothing that happened during the debate is likely to meaningfully change either candidate’s chances. Gov. Burgum made an unfavorable impression on pro-life voters by (incorrectly) asserting that there is no federal role on the abortion question and that the issue should be left to the states. He was the only candidate on the stage to take that position. Neither candidate is likely to qualify for the second presidential debate.

Former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is the most vocal Trump critic in the 2024 Republican presidential field. In the debate, Gov. Christie offered his full-throated support for Vice President Mike Pence’s decision not to take action to overturn the 2020 presidential election results; he also repeatedly called for the nation to respect the rule of law. While the Governor showed himself to be a strong communicator, his denunciations of President Trump have made him unpopular with most Republican voters. In 2012, Gov. Christie was a rising star in the GOP, but he opted against challenging President Barack Obama. Since then, his star has fallen (in part because of events in New Jersey during his second term), and he is no longer a viable candidate for the Republican nomination.

Sen. Tim Scott conveyed a hopeful, optimistic message about his own rise from poverty to the U.S. Senate and about America’s continued status as a land of opportunity. The Senator had some strong moments in Milwaukee. He spoke out in favor of federal legislation to protect against late-term abortions in blue states like New York. In his closing remarks, Sen. Scott said, “‘If God made you a man, you play sports against men.’” Sen. Scott came across as principled and sincere; however, he struggled to communicate his ideas clearly and convincingly in a debate setting. If the Senator wants to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate, he will need to make significant progress in this area.

Former Vice President Mike Pence spent the debate staking his claim as the most experienced, well-qualified candidate in the Republican field, as the most outspoken Christian, and as the most passionate defender of human life. Vice President Pence spoke of his conversion experience, of the Scriptural passages that formed and shaped his pro-life convictions, and of his intention to use his bully pulpit to push for life-affirming legislation at the federal level. He also discussed his decision to uphold the Constitution on January 6, 2023. Vice President Pence is not especially charismatic, but is a solid, clear, and thorough communicator. However, it is difficult to tell where his support might come from. Republican voters who dislike President Trump may dislike Vice President Pence for standing by his side for four years, while strongly pro-Trump voters may be angered by his unwillingness to perpetuate the claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

Former Governor Nikki Haley showcased her strong communication skills and her feistiness, portraying herself as a truth-teller. Gov. Haley accurately stated that the national debt is a major issue and that both parties are responsible for creating it; she opined that it was time for an accountant to be elected president (the Governor has an accounting background). The Governor conveyed passionate support for Ukraine in its effort to defend itself from Russian aggression. On abortion, Gov. Haley warned voters of how challenging it would be to pass federal pro-life legislation; while the Governor is correct, it seems that she is more focused on managing pro-lifers’ expectations than on fighting for life. The Governor did, however, speak up for the integrity of women’s sports.

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy was a polarizing candidate on the stage. While Ramaswamy is bright, energetic, and well-spoken, he has never held office, has not been involved in politics until very recently, and has only voted in two presidential elections. Given the tremendous gap in experience between Ramaswamy and all of the other candidates, he acquitted himself reasonably well in the debate. Ramaswamy scored points when speaking about the importance of faith, family, and educational choice. However, Ramaswamy showed disrespect for his opponents when he described them as being “bought and paid for.” He was also the only candidate on the stage who stated that he would not support additional aid to the war effort in Ukraine. Ramaswamy’s strong support for President Trump raises questions about why he is in the race at all; the answer may be that he is angling for a spot as Trump’s running mate.

Gov. Ron DeSantis conveyed urgency about attacking America’s problems. The Governor’s argument for his candidacy is simple; he invites voters to look at what has been accomplished in Florida during his tenure. As noted by Politico, Gov. DeSantis “described the U.S. as ‘in decline,’ said he believed in ‘education not indoctrination’ and bashed ‘critical race theory’ and ‘gender ideology.’” On Ukraine, Gov. DeSantis said he would condition future U.S. financial assistance to the war effort on the willingness of European countries to provide aid of their own. Rather than targeting his fellow Republicans, Gov. DeSantis trained his fire on the failings of the Biden administration.

Former President Donald Trump declined to participate in the debate. President Trump, who surrendered to authorities in Atlanta, Georgia on August 24 to face felony charges that he allegedly conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election, is supported by an average of 54.7% of Republican voters in recent polls. His nearest competitor, Gov. DeSantis, averages only 13.8%. Based on these figures, President Trump is the heavy favorite to receive the Republican nomination next year, and he may believe that he has nothing to gain by debating the rest of the Republican field.

Prior to the debate, Jason J. McGuire, executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, stated on X (formerly known as Twitter), “It might be good for former Pres. Trump to skip tonight’s debate, but it is bad for America. When I am considering my choice for President, I want a candidate who puts the nation’s interests ahead of his own.” McGuire shared similar thoughts in post-debate analysis during Family Policy Alliance’s recap of the debate adding his concern that Trump’s failure to debate leaves an opening for President Joe Biden or other candidates to dodge future debates. McGuire contends that this would be damaging to America’s process of electing leaders. He said, “There’s a reason we have a primary process and not a coronation in America. I expect the candidates to show up and actually debate these issues.”

It remains to be seen whether any of the other Republican candidates did enough during the debate to break away from the rest of the field enough to seriously challenge Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.