On August 23, 2023, eight Republican presidential candidates met at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the first of many presidential debates. This field included Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Former Vice President Mike Pence, and a dark horse entrepreneur named Vivek Ramaswamy to name a few.   

At this particular debate, the elephant in the room, or more aptly, the elephant NOT in the room was former President Donald Trump. Trump refused to participate in the debate despite polling far higher than all the aforementioned candidates and being endorsed by more Republican politicians than any other candidate in the field. He announced on August 9 that he would not promise his support to the eventual Republican nominee should it not be himself, thus failing to meet one of the requirements to participate in the debate.  

In lieu of the debate, Trump interviewed former Fox News contributor Tucker Carlson on August 18. Five days later, he was arrested in response to an indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, for charges of racketeering and conspiracy to interfere in the 2020 Election. His mugshot quickly became viral across the internet.   

While Trump was being arrested in Georgia, he became a subject of controversy on the Republican debate stage. His refusal to pledge support to any other potential Republican nominees and his criminal charges raised many questions. In particular, Chris Christie stated that Trump was “Morally unfit” to serve as president while also defending Mike Pence’s actions in response to the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol building. Pence that day had disobeyed orders from Trump to reject electors from various close states during the electoral vote certification.   

Other candidates during the debate seemed to echo or defend Trump. Ron DeSantis, in particular, stated that he would pardon Trump if elected. Vivek Ramaswamy drew fire for his fierce loyalty to Trump and claimed that the “Climate Change Agenda” was a hoax. Pence claimed that Ramaswamy was a “Rookie” and portrayed himself as more of a Reagan-style Republican. Pence also took a hardline stance on abortion, backing a nationwide ban at 15 weeks, while former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, widely considered one of the more moderate candidates in the field, suggested leaving abortion laws to individual states.   

Following the debate, polling suggested that DeSantis and Ramaswamy were the “winners” while the “loser” of the debate was Christie. Pence was the only candidate allotted over 12 minutes of speaking time; by comparison, low-polling candidate Asa Hutchinson spoke for less than eight. The next debate is scheduled for September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Due to tightened requirements to meet the debate, expect a smaller field as struggling candidates withdraw.