The first 2024 Republican presidential debate is here. Eight candidates, including a cadre of governors and former governors, will face off for the first time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at a debate hosted by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. Candidates participating in the debate include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner, will not participate, opting to take part in a sit-down interview with former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson. Follow The Daily Wire’s Republican presidential debate live blog here: Refresh for updates.
Rich Men North of Richmond gets shout out at beginning of debate.
The viral song sung by a Oliver Anthony that topped charts got a shout out at the beginning of the GOP debate, and Governor Ron DeSantis was asked why the song spoke so clearly to many Americans.”Our country is in decline,” DeSanits said. “This decline is not inevitable. It’s a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline.” DeSantis then spoke of restoring American dominance in energy by increasing domestic production, which has declined significantly under President Joe Biden.
Haley Says She Doesn’t Care About Polls, Goes After Trump On National Debt
Former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said she’s not concerned about her position in recent polls and called out her former boss for allowing the national debt to increase.“I don’t care about polls. What I care about is telling the American people the truth. The truth is that Biden didn’t do this to us. Our Republicans did this to us too when they passed that $2.2 trillion COVID stimulus bill …”
Pence and Ramaswamy go after each other.
Pence says he is best prepared for White House, cites experience balancing budgets as governor of Indiana governor and vice president under Trump. Taking aim at Ramaswamy, he says “now is not the time for on-the-job training.” Ramaswamy cites his status as a non-politician, going after pre-debate planned slogans.
DeSantis: We’re in this mess because we locked down.
DeSantis discusses COVID lockdowns and says the way to deal with bureaucrats like Anthony Fauci is to fire them.
Burgum makes joke about accident earlier in the day.
Burgum tore his ACL earlier on Wednesday at a pickup basketball game before showing up to Wednesday’s debate. Says he took advice to “break a leg” a little to seriously.”
Haley Says She Doesn’t Care About Polls, Goes After Trump On National Debt
Former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said she’s not concerned about her position in recent polls and called out her former boss for allowing the national debt to increase.“I don’t care about polls. What I care about is telling the American people the truth. The truth is that Biden didn’t do this to us. Our Republicans did this to us too when they passed that $2.2 trillion COVID stimulus bill …”