An introduction to the Republican contenders through the first debate
This was initially published on my Substack right after the debate. Since that time, a number of candidates have dropped out.
The first RNC debate marks a key moment in the contest for the Republican nomination for president — and also helps define who the contenders are. For many likely primary voters, this debate was their first chance to put the alternatives next to each other and compare them. As an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina, I’m eligible to participate in either party’s primaries, so that includes me.
There were significant and visible differences between the Republican candidates on the stage — and also some important differences not seen on the stage.
I’ll briefly talk about the eight Republican candidates at the debate, using the official order of poll-based precedence presented by Fox News in their coverage of the debate and used to determine their seating chart (above). I’ll also note that 538 has an instant-polling take on the matter; that data is worth parsing.
Ron DeSantis
