LIVE Blog: The First 2024 GOP Presidential Debate

The debate is over. All eight candidates delivered a livelier discussion, especially since none could be elected president this cycle. Ron DeSantis may have that in his future, but for now—it’s Trump’s primary election to lose. It’s concerning that it took an hour for Joe Biden to be mentioned. 

Vivek and Christie provided some of the best sparring of the night. Mike Pence confirmed that his time to run for the White House had passed him by; it’s not 2012 anymore, sir. Asa Hutchinson has no business being in future debates, but of all the long shots, I’d like to hear more from Doug Burgum.

Ron DeSantis didn’t bomb but didn’t make himself stand out from the rest of the field either. 

We’ll be back here on September 27 for the second debate. 

As this debate has reminded us, Joe Biden is running America into the ground and turning the federal government into a political errand boy to persecute conservatives. 

They've gotten caught colluding with sympathetic Big Tech companies that are trying to decide what we cover and stop us from reporting the truth. 

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President Trump won tonight.It's time for our party to coalesce around his candidacy and #MakeAmericaGreatAgainRead my full statement: pic.twitter.com/xHWZjxSiDr

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) August 24, 2023

Classy move for Tim Scott shaking the hands of his primary opponents. 

As this debate has reminded us all again, Joe Biden is running America into the ground and turning the federal government into a political errand boy to persecute conservatives. 

They've gotten caught colluding with sympathetic Big Tech companies that are trying to decide what we cover and stop us from reporting the truth. 

Partner with Townhall as we fight to save America by joining Townhall VIP — use the promo code SAVEAMERICA at checkout to get 50% off your VIP membership today!

Tim Scott focuses on that optimism for his closing remarks, about the American Dream being alive. There's a laugh and an applause when he says boys should play spots with boys. 

Asa Hutchinson got something of an almost boo in his closing remarks... 

Bergum closing statement is focused on the economy: Biden's inflation is choking us. I'll get this economy running, not crawling like it is not. With this great country our future is unlimited.  

The Never Back Down PAC (DeSantis' Super PAC) is going after some of the other primary candidates now via emailed press releases... 

Yes, it's a primary debate, but one would have expected more attacks on Biden-Harris tonight given the dumpster fire they've created:

Can we please spend some time hammering BIDEN, Gentlemen? (And lady?)#GOPDebate

— Larry O'Connor (@LarryOConnor) August 24, 2023

NIKKI HALEY: "You have no foreign policy experience and it SHOWS!"Cheers drown out the beginning of Vivek Ramaswamy's response. pic.twitter.com/WFnHpS6aTC

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 24, 2023

Here's that clip of Tim Scott on the teachers unions.

TIM SCOTT: "The only way we change education in this nation, is to BREAK the BACKS of the teacher's unions!" pic.twitter.com/P1Qx1Zjxfm

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 24, 2023

UFOs? 

The FBI is already on that ... 

via GIPHY

Chris Christie says he's "right." A nice, rare moment of agreement during the debate, actually!

Rebecca Downs:

Great point from Tim Scott about how teachers unions are "locking" kids out, too. 

VivekGPT rails against "automatons."

Yes! UFOs have entered the debate! 

Great point from Tim Scott about how teachers unions are "locking" kids out, too. 

Tim Scott gets a chance to bring up his Christian faith. I'm sure he was waiting for this kind of a moment. 

"This is a lightning round," Bret reminds!!

VIVEK: "We also have a federal government that pays single women more not to have a man in a house, than to have a man in the house—contributing to an epidemic of fatherlessness!""The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind!" pic.twitter.com/B8YR9S5arU

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 24, 2023

Burgum says he was happy to sign a bill protecting girls sports in North Dakota schools, but then says a federal policy might not be best for all school districts around the country.