Takeaways from the Republican debate: Candidates tangle on Trump, Ukraine and abortion

Outside, Milwaukee was covered in a heat dome.

But inside Fiserv Forum Wednesday night, the air was cool and the political rhetoric was hot as eight Republican presidential candidates squared off in the first big debate of the 2024 campaign cycle.

It wasn't a survival-of-the-fittest Thunderdome, but the candidates were battling to emerge as the clear No. 2 to the man who wasn't on the stage, former President Donald Trump.

Trump, who faces indictments in four criminal cases, skipped the event and offered his own counterprogramming. But he was certainly part of the action.

On the stage were Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Here are the main takeaways.

Donald Trump was the subject that couldn't be avoided

Trump didn't show but that didn't stop the arguments.

It was the first question in the second hour of the debate as the moderators brought up the ex-president's legal issues. They asked for a show of hands on who would support Trump as the GOP nominee if he were convicted in one of the criminal cases. Six of the candidates raised their hands, Christie waved his hand to get the attention of the moderators while Hutchinson stood still.

"Someone has got to stop normalizing this conduct," Christie said, drawing boos from the audience. "Whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of President of the United States."

Ramaswamy countered that Trump was the “best president of the 21st century,” accusing Christie of running a campaign of being based on “vengeance and grievance” against one man.

Scott said Pence did the right thing in moving forward with the electoral vote count on January 6, 2021, but he lamented what he claimed was the "weaponization of the Department of Justice."

“I think the American people deserve to know whether everyone on this stage agrees that I kept my oath to the Constitution that day," Pence said.

DeSantis conceded Pence did his duty January 6 and said "This election is not about January 6 of 2021. It’s about January 20 of 2025 when the next president is going to take office.”

Hutchinson recounted that he has said "Donald Trump was morally disqualified from being president again as a result of what happened on Jan. 6… I’m not going to support somebody who has been convicted of a serious felony or who has been disqualified under our Constitution…”

Christie said before the party could move on from the issues, "we have to dispense with the person who said that we need to suspend the Constitution to put forward his political career.”

Mike Pence, Tim Scott favor 15-week federal abortion ban, while Nikki Haley wants consensus in Congress

Pence and Scott came out strongly for a 15-week federal abortion ban as Republicans continue to navigate a charged political environment in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and leaving abortion laws up to the states.

"A 15-week ban is an idea whose time has come," Pence said.

But Haley, who said she's "unapologetically" anti-abortion, said "when it comes to a federal ban it will take 60 Senate votes," to pass the measure, as well as a majority in the House. She called for reaching "consensus" on the issue.

Pence fired back: "Consensus is the opposite of leadership. It's not a states-only issue, it's a moral issue."

DeSantis talked up a six-week bill he signed in Florida, didn't commit to a federal measure but said, "I’m going to stand on the side of life."

Funding for Ukraine takes center stage; Vivek Ramaswamy opposes more money

The candidates flexed their foreign policy chops and argued over U.S. funding for Ukraine.

DeSantis called on Europe "to pull its weight," to aide Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion. Ramaswamy was the only candidate who declared he would not support any more funding to Ukraine.

"We are driving Russia further into China's hands," he explained.

Christie referenced his visit to Ukraine, saying he went there "to see for myself what Vladimir Putin’s army was doing to the free Ukrainian people." He added, "This is the Vladimir Putin who Donald Trump called brilliant and a genius. If we don’t stand up to this kind of autocratic killing in the world, we will be next."

Haley strongly backed more military aid to Ukraine and declared: "A win for Russia is a win for China. Ukraine is the first line of defense for us." She chided Ramaswamy for having "no foreign experience and it shows."

DeSantis said he wouldn't send troops to Ukraine. Instead, he'd send them to the southern border. He also voiced support for sending U.S. Special forces over the border to stop Mexican cartels.

"We have to re-establish the rule of law and defend our people," he said.

Taking whacks at Joe Biden

President Joe Biden wasn't much of the subject in this debate.

DeSantis got off the first shots on the economy.

“Our country is in decline," he said. "This decline is not inevitable. It's a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline … We must reverse Bidenomics."

The candidates were asked if they would support a mental acuity test for presidents over 70. But it turned into a debate between Pence and Ramaswamy. Pence said the country shouldn't have a president who is too old or too young, while Ramaswamy said it was time for a generational change.

Vivek Ramaswamy came out hot, and the others noticed it

The political rookie was in the middle of a lot of verbal sparring.

Ramaswamy made his debate debut and declared: "Who the heck is this skinny guy with a funny last name? What’s he doing in the middle of a debate stage?" He tried to claim the mantle of outsider and squabbled with Pence on the economy, and the former vice president fired back, "I'll go slower this time."

At one point, Ramaswamy interjected during a discussion on climate change, calling the climate change agenda "a hoax" and claiming "more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate.” He attacked the other candidates on stage as being "bought and paid for."

Christie shot back: "I have had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT," calling Ramaswamy's description of himself as a skinny guy with a funny last name a reference to Obama. "I'm afraid we're dealing with the same type of (person)."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Five key takeaways from the Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee