Republican presidential candidates debate in Milwaukee (15 images)

By Wade Sheridan

Republican presidential hopefuls, minus Donald Trump, participated in the first primary debate at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott took part in the debate.

Left to right, Republican presidential candidates Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy stand at their podiums during the first Republican presidential candidate debate of the 2024 presidential race at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on August 23, 2023. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

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Ramaswamy waves after taking the stage. Ramaswamy called for "new blood" in the Republican Party. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

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DeSantis delivered several canned comments that have been staples of his campaign, including a line about sending President Joe Biden "back to his basement" and saying "decline is not inevitable. It's a choice." Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

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Nikki Haley broke from the party when discussing the national debt by placing some blame on Donald Trump. Haley also said she was "unapologetically pro-life" but the Supreme Court should not have made a decision on something "this personal." Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

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