A closer look at the Republican debate’s notable moments, from drapes to China

During the 2d Republican presidential number one debate, on Wednesday, the seven 2024 applicants onstage continuously sparred with every different over their coverage and character variations.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott lambasted how Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis treated an issue over Black historical past schooling in Florida’s center colleges.

Separately, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at one level scoffed at businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, status two podiums away: “Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” she mentioned.

Here’s a closer look at a few of the maximum notable verbal fireworks and political disputes.

Immigration, the southern border and birthright citizenship

Several Republicans emphasised they’d prioritize border safety, noting that motion on the factor can be one among their first will have to they turn into president.

“What I’ll do on day one is sign an executive order to send the National Guard to partner with Customs and Border Patrol to make sure that we stop the flow of fentanyl over the border,” former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie mentioned, including that he additionally needs prison immigrants to get open jobs.

Ramaswamy mentioned that he’d finish so-called birthright citizenship for the youngsters of licensed immigrants.

But in calling for finishing birthright citizenship below the U.S. Constitution, Ramaswamy invoked a controversy about the 14th Amendment — which bestows the rights of citizenship on all who had been born in the nation and “subject” to its jurisdiction, together with freed slaves.

Scott mentioned that he believes, from the standpoint of the Constitution, “I think it’s simple — that clearly it was designed for slavery [i.e. freed slaves] and not for illegal immigration.”

However, according to an examination by PolitiFact, professionals have argued that the modification most probably used to be intended at the time it used to be ratified to observe to immigrant youngsters despite the fact that their oldsters had been in the nation illegally. PolitiFact additionally discovered that whilst there may be prison debate over who’s incorporated or excluded from the modification, students have argued that U.S. regulations similar to birthright citizenship do observe to unauthorized immigrants and their youngsters.

DeSantis defends his abortion stance, hitting at Trump

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis revived an ongoing feud with former President Donald Trump over abortion, the place he doubled down on protecting his insurance policies proscribing the process.

In contemporary weeks, Trump had referred to as six-week abortion bans, like person who DeSantis signed in Florida, “terrible.”

“The former president, you know, he’s missing in action tonight. He has had a lot to say about that. He should be here explaining his comments to try to say that pro-life protections are somehow a terrible thing,” DeSantis mentioned on the debate degree. Trump declined to attend, suggesting he noticed no worth given his polling lead.

Ramaswamy faces hearth on China

Republican applicants have in large part been aligned in advocating for a more difficult U.S. coverage towards China, however the factor nonetheless sparked some disagreements onstage, in particular round Ramaswamy.

Scott accused him of being compromised via China as a result of his previous industry dealings with Chinese firms — and previous Vice President Mike Pence made a quip on the ones offers later.

The well being care corporate Ramaswamy based, Roivant Sciences, partnered in 2018 with Chinese state-owned funding corporate CITIC Group Corp. to reinforce a Chinese biopharmaceutical corporate.

Ramaswamy’s marketing campaign told Fox News earlier than the debate that he would now not input a equivalent deal anymore and that he has proposed how the U.S. may just “decouple from Communist China.”

Haley additionally mentioned all over the debate that Ramaswamy cannot be depended on as a result of he joined the vastly common Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.

Ramaswamy mentioned that he joined TikTok to assist him win the election — after which to battle China — via “reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are. … We’re only going to get to declaring independence from China, which I favor, if we actually win.”

Pence’s proposals

Pence, amidst makes an attempt at some jokes — together with an extraordinary crack about “sleeping with” a instructor, responding to Christie’s grievance of academics unions — spoke obviously about one coverage and hedged on any other.

When requested why the Trump-Pence management didn’t repeal the sweeping well being care adjustments below the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called “Obamacare,” as their 2016 marketing campaign mentioned they’d, Pence as an alternative weighed in on a prior query on gun violence.

“As a father of three, as a grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I am sick and tired of these mass shootings … we’re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting,” Pence mentioned.

When requested once more about the ACA, Pence hedged: “Look, I think it’s one of the choices here,” he mentioned, pivoting to talking about shrinking the federal govt.

Debate moderator Dana Perino answered, “I’m not sure we got an answer on Obamacare.”

A South Carolina faceoff

During the debate’s 2d hour, the two applicants from South Carolina, Haley and Scott, had been frequently at odds — even supposing Haley, when she used to be governor of South Carolina, appointed Scott to the U.S. Senate after Jim DeMint resigned.

The two fought over the gasoline tax in South Carolina that Haley proposed as governor. (Haley’s financial plan as a candidate comprises getting rid of the federal gasoline tax.)

“Talk about someone who has never seen a federal dollar she doesn’t like,” Scott mentioned.

Haley countered that she fought to scale back source of revenue taxes in the state along that proposal, as used to be reported by local outlets at the time.

Haley and Scott additionally argued over curtains that price greater than $50,000 in the place of dwelling of the ambassador to the U.N.

Haley used to be the first to reside there, however the Obama management had determined to acquire the drapes, in accordance to officers who spoke with the New York Times.

ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Libby Cathey, Abby Cruz, Hannah Demissie, Fritz Farrow, Lalee Ibssa, Nicholas Kerr, Soo Rin Kim, Will McDuffie, Kendall Ross and Kelsey Walsh, Soo Rin Kim contributed to this record.