in 2016 republicans narrowly flip the badger state read for the first time since ronald reagan. but it was back to blue by 2020. that election came during an unprecedented year. the country was rife with tension. in the suburbs of milwaukee the division seemed deeper than ever but that was just the beginning. two years later the u.s. supreme court struck down roe vs. wade leaving the legality of abortion up to the states. in wisconsin, that meant a nearly total ban. the power of that issue drove democrats to the polls this year. now that new thin liberal majority on the court could have that abortion issue before it again just as the race for the white house accelerates. tonight, the republican candidates will face off at the home of the milwaukee bucks and marquette golden eagles hoping to return next july to the city on the shore of lake michigan to accept the republican nomination at their party's national convention. tonight, the race for the white house takes flight. welcome to the first debate of the 2024 presidential campaign live at fiserv forum in milwaukee. >> eight republican candidates have qualified and have chosen to be here on our debate stage tonight. they are here to lay out their vision for america as they battle for the gop nomination. good evening everybody. i am martha maccallum. >> i am bret baier. this is the very same stage on which the republican choice for president will accept the party's nomination next summer. the eight contenders are positioned by the order they sit in the polls with the highest polling candidates in the middle standing center stage. florida governor ron desantis. >> next, vivek ramaswamy. >> former vice president, mike pence. >> former south carolina governor, nikki haley. >> former new jersey governor, chris christie. >> south carolina senator, tim scott. >> former arkansas governor, asa hutchinson. >> and north dakota governor, doug burgum. >> some ground rules for tonight. we will ask the questions and candidates get one minute to answer. if someone is singled out, you get 30 seconds to respond. when the time runs out, we all will hear this. very pleasant. >> tonight, these candidates have a big opportunity to break out of the pack and explain why they are best prepared to be the republican choice for president at a time when the likely democratic nominee president joe biden is working convince the country that with bidenomics, thanks are looking up. >> they call my planned bionics. i'm not totally sure they meant it in a complimentary way. guess what? it is working. >> but, is it? more than 65% of americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction. here is the reality for some voters we talked to in wisconsin this week. >> we have no noticed a dramatic increase in prices at the grocery store. >> gas is high and food is high. a lot of people out here are homeless because they cannot buy food. >> it is tough when you have mortgage rates at 7% versus 2% or 3%. you cannot afford a house anymore. >> inflation is ridiculous. it is killing us out here. >> we sit here tonight, the number one song on the billboard chart is called rich men north of richmond. it is by a singer from farmville, virginia named oliver anthony. his lyrics speak of alienation, of deep frustration with the state of government and of this country. washington, d.c. is about 100 miles north of richmond. ♪ music playing ♪ rich men north of richmond. lord knows they have total control. they want to know what you think. they want to know what you do. they don't think you know, but i know that you do. the rich men. >> opener desantis, why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now? what do you think it means? >> our country is in decline. this decline is not inevitable. it's a choice. we need to send joe biden back to his basement and reverse american decline. and it starts with understanding we must reverse bidenomics so that middle-class families have a chance to succeed again. we cannot succeed as a country. if you are working hard and cannot afford groceries, a car or a new home. hunter biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings, that is wrong. we also cannot succeed when the congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. those rich men north of richmond have put us in this situation. finally, we need to lower gas prices. we need to open up all energy production. we will be energy dominant again in this country. i showed it could be done in the state of florida. i pledged to you as your president we will get the job done and i will not let you down. >> governor desantis, thank you. governor christie, do you agree with governor desantis? why would you be better on the economy than him? >> look, i do agree predominantly with what governor desantis laid out. i think if you asked every one of us up here that we would agree predominantly with what he just said. here is the difference. the difference is that we will have to work and make sure that we sell these ideas. are we able to put ourselves in a position where we get a majority of the vote, not only by winning the congress and the senate in '24, but someone who has had the experience of doing it. i was elected as a conservative republican in a blue state with 61% of the vote with a democratic legislator against me the entire time. we still, through heart, strong decision-making, brought them around to our point of view. we cut taxes in new jersey. we cut debt in new jersey. we made sure that each and every time we were confronted with bad democratic ideas we stood and stomped them. when there were good ideas we brought people together to get progress going forward. truth and accountability are the things we need to do to fight waist. i would say the last thing is this, brit. we cannot sit by any longer and allow the kind of spending that is going on in washington. every dollar they send is a dollar that these people are not allowed to spend on their children and grandchildren. it is robbing our country and it is wrong. >> governor, let me follow up quickly. new jersey had the second lowest credit rating in the nation after illinois and it was downgraded 11 times. >> yeah. that is what happens when you inherit a blue state that has done that. when you look at what we did on debt in that state, we cut debt in that step state. debt that had been left to us by three democratic gubernatorial predecessors of mine who ran up the debt tremendously. what you also saw us to do was to cut the unemployment rate in half. it was over 10% when i became governor in 2010. what we also did was cut pension payments to public employees to make sure that taxpayers were not being soaked by a public employee union system that was killing the taxpayer. >> thank you, governor. >> tim scott, senator scott. they also go after welfare programs. as a senator, now president biden argued for freezing federal spending back in the 80s and dealing with a grade cows. he does not talk about that anymore. you have been a senator for 10 years. what have you done to rain in the increasing size of government? >> thank you for the question. over the last several years i've had an opportunity to vote against spending package after spending package after spending package. what we also need to understand is that joe biden's bidenomics has led to the loss of $10,000 of spending power for the average family. when you see 16% inflation, your gas is up 40%, your food is up 20%, your electricity is up 20%. we can stop that by turning the spigot off in washington, sending the money back to the state's and allowing the decisions to be made at their own houses. i helped write the tax cuts and jobs act of 2017. we cut taxes for a single mom like the one that raised me by 70%. for dual household by 60%. returning to the average family $4000. if you don't send it to washington, we cannot spend it. that is good news for the american people. >> to follow-up, during the trump administration you approved for $.4 trillion, $1.7 trillion over the course of that administration. that's a lot of money. >> no doubt during the trump administration when we dealt with the covid virus we spent more money. here is what happened at the end of our time in the majority. we had low unemployment. record low unemployment. 3.5% for the majority of the population. seven year low for women, african-americans, hispanics and asians had an all time low. but our inflation was at 2%. under joe biden we have seen the exact opposite. we have seen inflation explode which led to 12 federal reserve increases devastating homebuyers today. >> mr. ramaswamy, you are listening-he did mention you specifically. we will be with you in a second mr. vice president. mr. ramaswamy, listen to all of this. why should voters choose you over more experienced politicians on this stage? you are basically a blank slate for people. you are 38 years old. you have said you only voted in two presidential elections before this moment, this political race. >> first let me address the question that is on everybody's mind at home tonight. who the heck is this skinny guy with a funny last name and what the heck is he doing in the middle of the debate stage. i am not a politician. you are right about that. i am an entrepreneur. my parents came to this country with no money 40 years ago. i have gone on to found multibillion dollar companies. i did it while marrying my wife, raising her two sons, following our faith in god. that's the american dream. and i am genuinely worried that that american dream will not exist for our two sons and their generation unless we do something about it. i do think it will take an outsider. for a long time we had professional politicians and the republican arty who have been running from something. now is our moment to start running to something. to our vision of what it means to be american today. you have a broken car you don't turn over the keys to the people who broke it again. you hand it to a new generation to fix the problem. that is why i am in this race and we are just getting warmed up. 2 governor haley, why are you better positioned to turn around this economy that we have heard all the voters talking about tonight? then mr. ramaswamy who is a successful entrepreneur. he is beating you in the polls right now. >> i don't care about polls. i care about the fact that no one is telling the american people the truth. the truth is that biden did not due this to us. our republicans did this to us too. when they pass the two-point to trillion dollar covid stimulus bill, they left us with 90 million people on medicaid. 42 million people on food stamps. no one has told you how to fix it. i tell you how to fix it. stop the spending, stop the borrowing. eliminate the earmarks that republicans brought back in. they need to make sure they understand these are taxpayer dollars. it is not their dollars. while they are all saying this you have ron desantis, tim scott, mike pence, they all voted to raise the debt. donald trump added $8 trillion to our debt. our kids are never going to forgive us for this. at the end of the day he look at the 2024 budget, republicans asked for $7.4 billion in earmarks. democrats asked for $2.8 billion. you tell me who are the big spenders? it's time for an accountant in the white house. >> vice president pence, 54% of voters say the cost of groceries is a, quote, major problem for them. you blame the biden administration spending for that increase? but as vice president, your administration spent more than any prior, $7.8 trillion added to the national debt. $3.5 trillion of that before covid. does that mean you are part of the spending problem? >> well, first off, thanks for the question and thanks for letting me respond in reference to our administration's record. i am incredibly proud of the record of the trump and pence administration. four short years we rebuilt the military. we revived our economy. we unleashed american energy. we appointed three conservatives to the supreme court that gave the american people a new beginning for the right to life. no, martha, you asked earlier who is the best prepared for this job? i must tell you with all due respect to all of my friends on the stage, and even to one that is looking on, i think i am unquestionably the best prepared, the most tested, the most qualified and proven conservative in this race. i was a leader in the congress for the united states. i lead indiana where we balance budgets and had a aaa bond rating when i was governor. as vice president of the united states, we spent funding to backfill on the military cuts of the obama administration and we were there during the worst pandemic and 100 years. all that being said i was the first person in this race to say that we have got to deal with the long term national debt issues. you have got people on this stage that won't even talk about issues like social security and medicare. vivek recently said a president cannot do everything. i've got news for you, vivek. i've been in the hallway and the west wing. a president of the united states has to confront every crisis facing america. i will put our nation back on the path to growth and prosperity and restore fiscal responsibility. just as i did in congress and as governor and when i was vice president. >> i will get to vivek verse. >> this is not that complicated. unlock american energy. drill, frak, burn coal, embrace nuclear. put people back to work by no longer paying them more to stay at home. reform the u.s. fed. stabilize the u.s. dollar and go to war. the only war i will declare as u.s. president will be the war on the federal administrative state that is a source of those toxic regulations acting like a wet blanket on the economy. i'm not sure i exactly understood mike pence's comment. i will let you parse that out. for me it is simple. that is something a u.s. president can do with focus and i will deliver on it. >> let me explain it to you to ran 19 if i can. i will go slower this time. i sometimes struggle with that. >> i was a house conservative leader before it was cool. i actually push the deficit reduction act. thou the last time we actually reduced the national debt in the united states when i was the leader of house conservatives. i balanced budgets and cut taxes when i was governor. joe biden has weakened this country at home and abroad. now is not the time for on-the-job training. we don't need to bring in a rookie. we don't need to bring in people without experience. [ crosstalk ] >> 30 seconds when you have a rebuttal. you are up, governor desantis. >> why are we in this mess? part of it is how this federal government handled covid-19, by locking down this economy. it was a mistake. it should have never happened. we led the country out of lockdown. we kept our state free and open. i can tell you this. as your president, i will never let the deep state bureaucrats lock you down. you don't take somebody like dr. you bring him in and sit him down and say anthony, you are fired! >> we are going to bring in- >> let me respond. now that everyone has gotten the memorize preprepared slogans we can have a real discussion now. the reality and the fact of the matter is. we are just going to have some fun tonight. the reality is you have a bunch of people, professional politicians, super pack puppets following slogans handed over to them by their 400 page super pacs last week. the real choices we face is this. do you want a super pack puppet or do you want a patriot who speaks the truth? do want incremental reform? which is what you are hearing about or do you want revolution i stand on the side of the american revolution. >> we will take control back. >> we need everyone to have a moment on the economy. that is fair. there are two people who we have not heard from yet. let's hear from governor burgum and governor hutchins and on the economy. >> thank you, martha. i am from a town of 300 people. it's a big deal to make it on the stage with these folks. they were all wishing me well and i think i took them a little too literally when they said go to milwaukee and break a leg. i do want to say on this, we are missing something. we cannot talk about the biden economy. the economy, energy and national security are all tied together. of course we are paying too much for energy in our country right now. part of the reason why is because the biden policies on energy. we have a plan right now, $1.2 trillion of green new deal buried in the inflation creation act is something that is subsidizing china. if we are going to stop buying oil from the middle east and buy by batteries from china we are trading opec. and then belatedly the biden administration says we are going to put sanctions on russian oil. we put sanctions on russian oil and then is 20% off. who is buying it? china. if you either a battery or a solar panel is being produced in a plant in china powered by coal where it's being powered by oil and gas at 20% off. every farmer would like to buy diesel at 20% off just like they are buying it in china. >> thank you. delighted to be here tonight. let me just tell you that i am a pro-life governor from a conservative state that has a conservative record in which i lowered taxes in arkansas as governor. i created a $2 billion surplus that i passed over to my successor. and i made sure that we shrunk the size of government. we have 14% fewer state employees in arkansas after i left the government than when i took over as governor eight years ago. i tell that because that is what we need in washington, d.c. we need somebody who can actually constrain the growth of federal government, that can actually reduce the size. i pledge to reduce it by 10%. our federal nondefense workforce. that is a specific pledge to make that attacks the administrative state. let me applaud some of the business partners that are here that have had success in business. let me tell you. i have been a federal prosecutor. i have served our country in terms of being head of the dea and homeland security in times of crisis. while i think that is experience that is important for the future of our country to be the president of the united states that can lead with positive solutions to be held accountable. thank you. >> we have a lot of topics to get to. i promise we will get to everyone if we play within the rules. next topic. more than 1000 people are still unaccounted for in maui after the deadliest u.s. wildfire in more than a century. hawaii's governor and white house officials said that climate change amplified the cost of human error. >> a tropical storm hit california for the first time in 84 years. the ocean hit 101 degrees off the coast of florida. in the last month the heat wave in the southwest broke records nearly 50 years old. >> alexander diaz from young america foundation has a question for you. >> polls consistently show that young people number one issue is climate change. how would you as both president of the united states and leader of the republican party calm their fears that the republican party doesn't care about climate change? >> we will start on this with a show of hands. do you believe in human behavior causing climate change? raise your hand if you do? >> we are not schoolchildren. let's have the debate. i am happy to start. i don't think that's the way to do it. let me say to alexander, this. one of the reasons our country is declining is because the way the corporate media treats republicans versus democrats. biden was on the beach while those people were suffering. he was asked about it and said no comment. are you kidding me? as somebody that has handled disasters in florida you have to be activated. you have to be there, present and helping people who are doing this. here is the deal. >> is that a yes? is that a hand raised? >> i think it was a hand raise for him. my hands are in my pockets. >> let us be honest as republicans. on the only person on the stage who isn't bought and paid for. i can say this. >> that is ridiculous. >> climate change is a hoax. the reality is the anti- carbon agenda is the wet blanket on our economy. the reality is more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change. >> governor, are you bought and paid for? >> listen, hold on. >> i have had enough already tonight. of a guy that sounds like chatgpt standing up here. the last person in one of these debates who stood in the middle of the stage and said what is a skinny guy with an odd last name doing up here was barack obama. i am afraid we are dealing with the same type of amateur standing on the stage tonight. >> give me a hug just like you did to obama. you will help elect me just like you did obama. >> the same type of amateur. >> governor haley, would you like to respond? are you bought and paid for? >> i think this is exactly why margaret thatcher said if you want something said ask a man. if you want something done, ask a woman. first of all, we do care about clean air, clean water. we want to see that taken care up. there is a right way to do it. the right way is first of all, climate change is real. yes, it is. if you want to change the environment, we need to start telling china and india that they have to lower their emissions. that is where our problem is. these green subsidies that biden has put in, all he has done is help china. he doesn't understand all these electric vehicles he has done, half of the batteries for electric vehicles are made in china. that is not helping the environment. you are putting money in china's pocket. biden did that. first of all, we need to acknowledge the truth, which is these subsidies are not working. we also need to take on the international world and say india and china you have got to stop polluting. that is when we start to deal with it. >> are you bought and paid for? >> absolutely not. here is what the american people deserve. it's a debate about the issues that affect their lives. going back and forth and being childish is not helpful to the american people to decide on the next leader of our country. number two, as a kid who grew up with a single parent households mired in poverty, i wondered was the american dream reel for kids who are devastated by poverty, devastated by the challenges of life? i came to the conclusion that america can do for anyone what she has done for me if we focus on creating opportunities and protecting america. if we want the environment to be battle better and we all do, the best thing to do is bring jobs home from china. if we create 10 million new jobs in my made in america plan we will have a better economy and a better environment. let me tell you why i say that. >> do it quickly. >> i am a southern boy. i talk slow. >> that was quick. america has cut our carbon footprint in half in the last 25 years. the places where they continue to increase, africa, 950 million people. india over 1 billion. china over 1 billion. why do we put ourselves at a disadvantage? devastating our own economy. let's bring our jobs home. we have a lot of different topics to get to. >> thank you all. thank you senator scott. coming up next, the candidates will weigh in on what could be a defining issue in the 2024 campaign. the first republican debate continues, moments away. we have to be smarter about how we talk to women and show them we care. >> if you cannot do that you should not be the nominee for the republican party. this is a defining moment. i'm patriotic kenny. and, hi, i'm amanda on tiktok. my scooter broke down. i went into a depression. how do you feel about that? pretty sad. and i posted it to show that kenny's not always happy. within 24 hours people had donated over $5,000. no, you're kidding. we set up the patriotic kenny foundation to give mobility scooters to veterans. it has changed my life tremendously. none of this would've happened without tiktok. abortion has been a losing issue for republicans the dobbs decision. in six state referendums, all have upheld abortion rights in this country. even in red states there are more swing state referendums that are coming up as we head into the elections as well on this. governor haley, what do you say to your party and to your state, which today confirmed a six week abortion law as well, especially the impact on women suburban voters across the country? >> thank you, martha. i am unapologetically pro-life. not because the republican party tells me to be, but because my husband was adopted and i had trouble having both of my children. i am surrounded by blessings. having said that, we need to stop demonizing this issue. this is talking about the fact that unelected justices didn't need to decide something this personal because it's personal for every woman and man. now it has been put in the hands of the people. that is great. when it comes to a federal ban, let's be honest with the american people and say it will take 60 senate votes. it will take a majority of the house. in order to do that, let's find consensus. can't we all agree that we should ban late-term abortions? can't we all agree that we should encourage adoptions? can't we all agreed that dr. is an nurses who don't believe in abortions shouldn't have to perform them? can't we agree that contraception should be available? can't we all agree that we are not going to put a woman in jail or give her the death penalty if she gets an abortion? let's treat this like a respectful issue that it is and humanize the situation and stop demonizing the situation. >> governor desantis? you signed a six week abortion ban in florida. one of your biggest financial backers said that you need to, quote, shift to get moderates or you will lose. what did you say to him and others who say politically that is a tough thing to sell nationally? >> i would say we sold the biggest election landslide victory in the history of the republican party and the state of florida in 2022. that's what i did. we can win. second of all, look, you've got to do what you think is right. i believe in a culture of life. i was proud to sign the heartbeat built. the most impactful moment of my life was when i heard the heartbeat of my oldest daughter and my wife's room and saw the sonograms of all three of my kids. what the democrats are trying to do on this issue is wrong to allow abortion all the way up to the moment of birth. i know a lady in florida named penny. she survived multiple abortion attempts. she was left discarded in a pan. fortunately her grandmother saved her and brought her to a different hospital. we are better than what the democrats are selling. we are not going to allow abortion all the way up till birth. we will hold them accountable for their extremism. >> just to be clear. would you sign a six week ban federally? >> i will stand on the side of life. i understand wisconsin will do it different than texas. i understand iowa and new hampshire will do it different. but i will support the cause of life as governor and as president. >> president. hold on senator. vice president pence you are shaking your head. >> i am not new to this cause. after i gave my life to jesus christ as my lord and savior i opened up the book and read before i formed you in the womb i knew you. i sit before you life and death. blessings and curses. now choose life. i knew from that moment on the cause of life had to be my cause. i have been a champion for life in congress and as governor and as vice president. to be honest with you, nikki is my friend. but our consensus is the opposite of leadership. when the supreme court returned this question to the american people they didn't just send it to the states only. it's not a states only issue. it's a moral issue. i promise you as president of the united states, the american people will have a champion for life in the oval office. can't we have a minimum standard in every state in the nation that says when a baby is capable of feeling pain an abortion cannot be allowed? a 15 week band is an idea whose time has come. it supported by 70% of the american people. it will take unapologetic leadership, leadership that stands on principal and expresses compassion. i will do that as president of the united states. >> he called my name so i want to respond. first of all, i will say its in the hands of the people and that is where it should be. when you are talking about a federal ban, be honest with the american people. there were 45 pro-life senators in over 45 years. no republican president can ban abortions any more than a democratic president can ban all the state laws. don't make women feel like they have to decide on this issue when you know we don't have 60 senate votes in the house. >> 70% of the american people support legislation and ban abortion after they are experiencing pain. [ crosstalk ] to be honest with the american people. >> let's get governor bergman. the supreme court did overturn roe v. wade. the result of that decision was that it went back to the states. that is where it is right now. as i understand that you are not in favor of a federal ban. what do you say about the states characters about five including new jersey, i think a few others. they allow abortion up until the time of birth. if you were president, would you be able to abide that? >> first of all, i am a pro-life governor of a pro-life state. this issue is of course is very important. i'm on the record and stand behind that we should not have a federal abortion ban. we should not. the reason why we shouldn't is simple. it's the 10th amendment in the constitution. the constitution which the states created the federal government. not the other way around. it says there were certain duties allowed to the federal government delegated to them by the states. the rest are left to the state's or more importantly to the people. we need to get back to freedom and liberty for the people in this country. we cannot have republicans who fight for 15 years for this great cause. the way we turn it back to the states. the next day they turn around and say the feds should do that. the feds are stepping into peoples lives and stepping into peoples businesses over and over. if we say the fed should be in this, where do we stop? we should follow the constitution. this return to the states is where it should be. >> but you signed a six week ban , governor burgum. you are saying federally it is all going to go to the states? >> yes. what is going to work in new york will never work in north dakota and vice versa. >> this is too important of and issue that i have to address. first of all, the supreme court gave it back to the elected representatives, whether it's the state's or whether it's the united states congress. there is authority. that is why president biden is pushing for a democrat proposal which is in essence abortion on demand through the term. so they have their extreme position at a national level. it is most likely going to be addressed in the states, but it certainly fine to be addressed at the national level as well. arkansas has the record of being the most pro-life state in the nation. i signed 30 pro-life pieces of legislation while i was governor. every state can determine a different outcome here. it is the most important issue for women and for the unborn child and for our country that we get this right. it's going to be a continued debate. let's talk about it in terms of compassion, in terms of protecting the life and also for understanding how we have to enhance adoption services. how we have to enhance maternal care. those things we have done in arkansas and are important for our nation's future. >> there are a lot of things that are important. senator, weigh in. >> we cannot let states like california, new york and illinois have abortions on demand up until the day of birth. that is immoral, unethical. it is wrong. we must have a president of the united states who will advocate and fight for the minimum a 15 week limit. i am 100% pro-life conservative. i am 100% pro-life record. i can tell you we must fight for life. our declaration of independence since our creator gave us unalienable rights that include life. that is an issue we must solve. we cannot leave it to illinois. we cannot leave it to minnesota. we cannot leave it to illinois. we must solve that issue with a 15 week limit at a minimum. >> i think we are all pro-life. what i would love is for someone to ask biden and kamala harris are they for 38 or 39 weeks. that is what the media needs to be asked. >> another issue is america and the crime crisis, the homelessness crisis. american cities are in decline. people are moving out as homelessness, drugs and crime move in. there are problems accelerated. they did accelerate during the pandemic and are still rising. >> murders in los angeles, new york, chicago, all of 30% between 2019 and 2022. homelessness is up 11%, the largest jump in recorded history. vice president pens, a lot of this began in the covid aero. how much of what we are seeing happening around this country is a result of those covid lockdowns? is your administration in part to win for how we got here? >> what is to blame is that democrats talking about defunding the police for the last five years. we ought to be funding law enforcement particularly in our major cities. it's at unprecedented levels. it's extraordinary to think about the violence that is claiming innocent lives literally every week in every major city in the country. yet democrats and liberal prosecutors in major metropolitan areas continue to work out their fanciful agendas and to do a bail reform and go easy. what we need his strong commitment to law enforcement. we need leadership in washington, d.c. that will marshal the resources of the states, marshal the resources of the american people. it's also about opportunity. a lot of people don't know that the trump flash pence tax cuts that we got signed into law go away at the end of 2025 if we don't have a republican president and a republican house and senate. when i am president of the united states we will cut taxes further and extend those tax cuts and we will close the federal department of education, block all that funding back to the state's with a growing economy and educational choice and law-enforcement. we will bring our cities back. >> governor christie, another issue. this weekend in milwaukee report say there were 30 shootings. a number of them included kids. add that to the big increase in school shootings around the country. democrats blame the crisis on easy access to guns. they also blame republicans for blocking gun-control legislation. what would president christie do? >> you know, i am proud of the fact that i am the only person along with governor hutchinson on the stage who is actually running united states attorneys office. i ran the fifth-largest office in the america in a state where there is significant urban crime. the problem is not going to be solved by more money. the problem is that these prosecutors in these localities in the state's are refusing to do their job and to arrest violent criminals. what a president christie would do is appoint attorney general who would instruct each of the 93 u.s. attorneys that they are to take over the prosecution of violent crime in every one of those cities failing to do so. we have plenty of room in the federal prisons to lock up these violent criminals and cleanup what is going on all across this country in these individual cities. secondly, what we need to make sure is that each and every one of these criminals understands is that the laws apply to everybody. when hunter biden fills out a fake application, a false application for a gun permit, and then is facing a 10 year mandatory minimum. we are telling people that the law doesn't apply to everyone. in a christie administration he would go to jail for 10 years. >> what about president ramaswamy do about guns? >> the reality is we had a crime wave in the country and we know how to fix it. the question is due we have the spine to do it? more cops in the streets who are on the streets able to do their jobs without looking over their shoulder or getting sued. we also have a mental health epidemic in this country. just over the same period that we have closed mental health institutions we have seen a spike in violent crime. do we have this mind to bring them back? as president, i will. it's not just drugging up people in psychiatric institutions with zoloft and seroquel. it's a deeper issue. faith-based can play a role here to. we are in the middle of a national identity crisis. i say this as a member of my generation. the problem in our country right now, the reason we have the mental health epidemic is that people are so hungry for a purpose and meaning at a time when family, faith, patriotism, hard. have all disappeared. what we really need is a tonal reset from the top saying that this is what it means to be an american. we will stand for the rule of law. we will close the southern border where criminals are coming in every day. we will back law enforcement because we remember who we really are. that is also how we address that mental health epidemic in the next generation that is directly leading to violent crimes. >> governor desantis, really quickly. >> we don't have an identity crisis. we are not looking for a new national identity. the american people are the most freedom loving idealistic hard-working people the world has ever known. we just need government as good as our people. >> you might have some others like you have on the stage. it is not morning in america. we live in a dark moment. we have to confront the fact that we are in an internal cold culture civil war. you need to recognize that. >> we just need government as good as our people again. >> let me address that slogan. i don't know what that means. [ crosstalk ] >> crime has been on the rise in florida, governor desantis. how do you stop crime? >> crime is at a 50 year low in florida. >> not in miami. >> statewide it's a 50 year low. here's the thing. these hollowed out cities, this is a symptom of america's decline. one of the biggest reasons is because you have george soros funding these radical left-wing district attorneys. they get into office and say they are not going to prosecute crimes. they disagree with the inmates running the asylum. there is one guy in this entire country that has ever done anything about that. me. when we had two district attorneys in florida elected with soros funding who said they wouldn't do their job, i removed them from there post. they are gone. as president, as president, we are going to go after all of these people because they are hurting the quality of life and they are victimizing innocent people in every corner of this country. it will stop when i get into office. >> we are going to break. governor burgum. >> you asked a question about the problems we have in big cities. no one asked the question about the crime wave in small towns. in a small town neighbors help neighbors. people understand each other. if a farmer get sick everyone helps him get the crop up. there is accountability and transparency. one thing this country could use is someone in the white house that understands small-town values. that is our road back to get the country on track again. >> governor hutchinson? >> as former head of the dea i understand the drug crisis in america. right now whenever you look at the challenges in the inner-city, theirs three simple words that would be helpful. one, enforce the law when it comes to crime. secondly, deal with the challenge of fentanyl. it is both about fentanyl coming from mexico, but it's also about education of our young people making sure that we have the tools that are needed for addiction counseling. that is what we expanded in arkansas as well. whenever you look at the underlying challenge of america, no one likes to see an america of smash and grab in inner cities. as president of the united states, that will stop. it starts at the top with respect for our justice system, that a former president who is under indictment were undermined by attacking judges, by attacking prosecutors, by attacking the system and saying he is aggrieved. we have to have respect for our justice system and the rule of law. it starts at the top with the president of the united states. >> we need to take a break. speaking of that, right now you are looking live at fulton county jail where former president donald trump will be processed tomorrow. next, the candidates will have an opportunity to talk about the coming trials of donald trump. bass pro shops and cabela's stands tall in our unwavering commitment to honoring our heroes. we extend our gratitude... beyond words... by proudly offering a legendary salute discount to those who protect our freedoms. our dedication to those who selflessly serve us runs deep within our dna. it's not just a discount... it's a commitment to making a difference. because every day is a chance for us to say thank you. bass pro shops and cabela's... your adventure starts here. my a1c was up here; now, it's down with rybelsus®. his a1c? it's down with rybelsus®. my doctor told me rybelsus® lowered a1c better than a leading branded pill and that people taking rybelsus® lost more weight. i got to my a1c goal and lost some weight too. rybelsus® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. need to get your a1c down? you may pay as little as $10 per prescription. the day you get your clearchoice dental implants makes every day... a "let's dig in" day... mm. ...a "chow down" day... a "take a big bite" day... a "perfectly delicious" day... - mm. 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[cheers and applause] just to be clear, governor christie, you were late to the game. >> i am doing this. not this. here is the bottom line. someone has to stop normalizing this conduct. whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of president of the united states. [cheers and applause] that is the great thing about this country, booing is allowed but it doesn't change the truth. >> let's just speak the truth. trump was the best president of the 21st century. chris christie, your claim that donald trump is motivated by vengeance and grievance would be more credible if your campaign were not based on vengeance and grievance against one man. if people want to see a bunch of people blindly bashing donald trump without vision for this country, they can change the channel, but i am not running for president of msnbc. i am running for president of the united states. we cannot set a precedent where the party in power uses police force to indict political opponents. it is wrong. which you make me laugh. you sit here in an answer -- [boos] you sit here in an answer -- >> hold on, governor christie. >> the more time we spend doing this, the less time they can talk about issues you want to talk about. governor christie, you talk about -- governor christie. >> you talk about how you want to stand up for the rule of law. you had much different things to say about donald trump in your book then you do tonight. it is true. i read it. by the way, i know a lot better than you do. you have never done it, like you have never done anything to try to advance the interest of this government except to put yo yourcells forward as a candidate. i did as u.s. attorney and governor. i am not going to bow to anyone when we have a president of the united states who disrespects the constitution. it is important to say that the president said, donald trump said it is okay to suspend the constitution. the votes you take is to preserve, protect and defend, not suspend. i will always stand up for our constitution regardless of political pressure. >> we have a another question for you. president trump's former vice president is onstage tonight. he has faced hecklers over his actions. he move forward with the election. do you think he did the right thing? >> he did the right thing. number one. number two, we should be asking ourselves a bigger question about the weaponization of the department of justice. when i am president, i will fire merrick garland, fire christopher wray. we need lady justice to wear a blindfold. without that one, no one has confidence in our justice system. 17% of republicans have confidence in our department of justice. we keep seeing the weaponization of the department of justice but also against parents who show up at school board meetings. they are called domestic terrorists. [crosstalk] not only that, in addition to that, we see the s.w.a.t. team show up at pro-life activists homes with guns drawn because the doj uses the power with -- it is time for a change in america and i will bring that change. >> governor desantis, do you believe mike pence did the right thing? >> we need to end the weaponization of these federal agents. this is not about january 6th. it is about january 20th. i know what the democrats would like to be. they want to talk about these other issues but we have to focus on your future. i learned in the military, assigned with u.s. navy seals in a rack, you focus on the mis mission. republicans, we have to look forward and make sure we are bringing the message that can win in november. >> did not answer the question. >> -- to support and defend the constitution. the american people deserve to know whether everyone on the stage and agrees that i kept my oath to the constitution that day. there is no more important duty. >> i have answered this. mike did his duty. is this what we are going to be focused on going forward? the rehashing of this? >> democrats would love that. i am not letting biden hang out in the basement. we are going to run him where i get around this country and hold him accountable. >> we spent an hour talking about policy. it is a factor in the g.o.p. primary. governor hutchinson, you did not raise your hand. >> there is an important issue we have to face. a year ago i said donald trump was morally disqualified from being president as a result of what happened on january 6th. more people are understanding the importance of that, including legal scholars who say he may be disqualified under the 14th amendment from being president again as a result of the insurrection. this could disqualify him under our rules and under the constitution. i am not going to support somebody who has been convicted of a serious felony or who has been disqualified under our constitution and that is consistent with rnc rules and i hope everyone would agree. >> we are going to -- >> can i answer the question? >> you have already been in on it, vice president pence. >> mike pence stood for the constitution and he deserves, not grudging credit. he deserves our thanks as americans for putting his oath of office and the constitution of the united states before personal, political, and unfair pressure. the argument we need to have in this party before we can move on to the issues that ron talked about, is we have to dispense with the person who said we need to suspend the constitution to put forward his political career. mike pence said no and he deserves credit. >> governor haley, do you agree that vice president pence did the right thing or not? >> i do think he did the right thing. we need to give him credit for that. i will tell you, when it comes to whether president trump should serve or not, i trust the american people. let them vote and let them decide. they will tell you it is time for a new, generational, conservative leader. three quarters of americans don't want a rematch between trump and biden. trump is the most disliked politician in america. we cannot win a general election that way. >> mike pence did the right thing. you started off the top of the sour saying we are going to talk about china, ukraine, education. china is the number one threat to our country and every minute we talk about the past instead of the future is -- biden loves it. chide in the loves it when we are -- china loves it when we talk about the past. >> we are moving on. >> the u.s. has committed -- >> can i speak on this issue? >> we thought you were done. please. >> joined me in making a commitment that you would pardon donald trump. i am the only candidate on the stage to say it. >> i don't know why you assume donald trump will be convicted of these crimes. that is the difference between you and me. i have given pardons when i was governor of the state of indiana. it usually follows a finding of guilt and contrition by the individual convicted. if i am president, i will give fair consideration, but if i m may, it is not about looking back at january 2021. it is about january 20th, 2017. i put my l left hand on ronald reagan's bible and i took an oath to support and defend the constitution. it ended with a prayer, so help me god. it was a promise i made to the american people but i also made it to my heavenly father. every day for four years i kept that oath. everyone on the stage needs to make it clear whether or not they will do the same if they are in this job in the confidence of the american people. i had hoped the issues surrounding the 2020 election and the controversies had not come to criminal proceedings. i would rather they had been resolved by the american people and the american people alone. no one is above the law and trump is entitled to the presumption of innocence that every american is entitled to. the american people deserve to know the president asked me in his request that i reject or return votes unilaterally, power no president had exercised or taken, he asked me to put him over the constitution and i chose the constitution and i always will. kamala harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024. >> thank you, vice president pence. we are moving on to other is issues. the u.s. has committed nearly $77 billion in aid to the ukraine war. the administration is asking congress for $24 billion more. regardless, the specifics of that plan, is there anyone onstage who would would not support the increase of more funding to ukraine? >> europe needs to step up. they need to step up and do their job. >> you are saying you would not? >> i would have europe pull their weight. they are not doing it. our support should be contingent on them doing it and i would have support in china to be able to take china and do what we need to do with china. >> mr. ramaswamy, you would not support an increase of funding? >> i would not. it is disastrous we are protecting against an invasion when we should use those resources to protect against the invasion across our southern border. we are driving further into china's hands. the russia-china alliance is the worst thing we face. i find it offensive we have politicians on stage that will to zelenskyy without doing for the people on the southside of chicago chicago, maui. we need to secure our border instead of somebody else's. this is also how we present strength. >> i did go to ukraine. i wanted to see for myself what vladimir putin's army was doing to the free ukrainian people and let me tell you. look around this arena and imagine that every seat was filled and if everyone was filled, there would be 2500 more children to make over 20,000 who had been abducted, stolen, ripped from their mothers and fathers and brought back to russia to be programmed to fight their own families. they have gouged out people's eyes, cut off their ears and shot people in the back of the head and gone into those homes and the daughters and wives who were left as widows and orphans. this is the vladimir putin who donald trump called brilliant and a genius. if we don't stand up against this type of autocratic killing, we will be next. >> i have a question for governor haley. >> mike pence was mentioned. you have 30 seconds. >> anyone who thinks we can't be the leader in the world has a small view. we can do both. we have been the leader for years. we set if you are willing to fight the communists on your soil, we will give you the means to fight them there. if we do the giveaway that you want to do to give putin his land, it will not be too long before he rolls across the border and our men and women are going to have to go fight him. i want the ukrainians to go fight and drive them out. >> the ussr does not exist anymore. you are talking about the communists. the real communists -- you already spoke. >> vladimir putin wants to reestablish the old soviet sphere of influence. he is a dictator and a murderer and the united states of america needs to stand against totalitarianism. >> the real threat we face today is communist china and we are driving russia into china's a arms. the russia-china military alliance is the greatest threat we face. >> mr. vice president, we cannot hear. mr. vice president. >> ukraine will never be an nato and then somehow china will not think about taking taiwan. we achieve peace through strength. but ask we need to reestablish some ground rules. when we hear this bell, your time is done. we appreciate your aggressiveness here. 30 seconds is 30 seconds. >> the reality is, today, ukraine is not a priority for the united states of america. the same people that took us into iraq and ukraine war, you cannot start another no-win war and i don't want to send resources abroad when we could be using them at home to protect our borders, protect the homeland. that would be my top priority. >> we gave you more than 30 seconds. i want to get to other people. we respect everybody's time here. governor haley, you did not raise your hand. you would support more funding for the ukraine war. you have said, of governor desantis, you did not appreciate it when he called it a territorial dispute. >> the american president needs to have moral clarity. they need to know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. when you look at the situation, you have a pro-american country that was invaded by a thug. you want to talk about what has been given to ukraine, less than 3.5% of our defense budget has been given to ukraine. per gdp, 11 of the european countries have given more than the u.s. go back to when china and russia held hands before the olympics and named themselves unlimited partners. a win for russia is a win for china. ukraine is the first line of defense for us. he wants to hand ukraine to russia, let china eat taiwan, stopped funding israel. you don't do that to friends. you have their backs. putin has said if russia takes ukraine, poland and the baltics are next. that is a world war. look what putin did today. the russian ambassador suddenly died. this guy is a murderer. you are choosing a murderer over a proud american country. >> i wish you well on your future career. you have been pushing the sly all week. >> you want to defund israel. >> i am glad you brought that up. i am going to address each of those. >> under your walk, -- watch, you have made america lesser. you have no foreign policy experience and it shows. [cheers and applause] >> our relationship with israel -- it is a friendship. you know what friends do? they help friends stand on their own two feet. i will make sure iran is never nuclear arms. i love their border policies. i love their tough on crime policies, that they have a national identity and an iron dome to protect their homeland. i want to apply those to protect our homeland. >> america needs israel. they are our front line of defense. >> it is not a territorial dispute. >> your first obligation is to defend our country and its people. that means you are sending all this money but you are not doing what we need to do to secure our border. we have tens of thousands being killed. i am going to declare it a national emergency. i am going to send troops to our southern border. when these drug pushers are bringing fennel across the border, that is going to be the last thing they do. we are going to use force and leave them stone cold dead. >> we are going to move on to china. china has the biggest navy, army in the world. they have warships off the coast of alaska, they are threatening taiwan. they will have 1500 nuclear warheads. the u.s. just arrested two sailors accused of spying for china within our military. how would you deter china? >> this is the number one issue we are facing. we act like we are letting russia when in the ukraine is like a give me as opposed to a gift. how would we do it? the biden administration is a fail. china imports 10 million barrels a day. they do not have all the food they need to feed everybody in that country. the biden administration sends blink him, yelling there. they don't even bring up energy because they are too busy trying to kill the u.s. energy here. we need to do not meetings or press releases, something that sends a message is missiles on taiwan, the way you have a war never start, which is the goal, the way you have peace through strength as you have strength and deterrence. what we have going on and ukraine is an example of when they fail. biden's disastrous withdrawal from afghanistan, the fact that he green-lighted putin moving into ukraine. when they see weakness, they make a move. we have to be strong and we can solve the southern border. there is only 19,855 authorized people for the border patrol but they are not all staff. the biden administration wanted to put 87,000 people in the irs instead of giving the money we need to our own border patrol. >> let's fire the 87,000 irs agents and double the number of border patrol agents. i just left arizona two weeks ago. the most pressing need of the american people is our southern border. it has led to the death of 70,000 americans because of fentanyl. 200 people on our national security watch list have been caught at our border. how many have not? if we spend $10 billion, we could finish the ball. for 5 million more, we could have the military grade technology to surveilled our southern border to stop the flow of fentanyl and save 70,000 americans a year. that should be the priority of this government and as the next president of the united states, i will make that border wall complete. >> there are many more questions on china. >> i couldn't agree more. it is not just the 70,002 fentanyl. we have lost people to overdoses, 300 a day. these are sons and daughters that we are losing. north dakota troops are flying night helicopter missions trying to stop these criminal organizations. they have better funding on their side then we have got. >> images from earlier this month -- vice president pence. it doesn't help. i am asking a question. earlier this month, images showed suspected cartel members crossing into texas with rifles. do you consider this an inv invasion? would you authorize lethal force along the border. >> there would be lethal force used by the law enforcement as needed to protect the border. when you look at the military, the military has to be used for intelligence gathering purposes. this is not unusual. when i was in the bush administration, we went down there and met with president fox of mexico and ask his help in going after the cartels. he said they are a problem to us as well and so we join together and took down the area leading the tijuana cartel and that made a difference. one was killed and one was captured. cooperation makes a difference. we cannot be successful unless we bring in mexico as a partner. we have to use economic pressure to accomplish that. the president has not been helpful and we have to use economic pressure this administration is not using. the rule of law has to matter on both sides. this is critical. we know what needs to be done. the military has to be limited in its use. after 9/11, we had the global war on terror and we protected the border at the same time. you can do both. >> let's go to governor desantis. as president, would you support sending u.s. special forces over the border, into mexico, to take out fentanyl labs, drug cartel operations. would you support that use? >> yes. i will do it on day one. the cartels are killing tens of thousands of our fellow citizens. you want to talk about a country in decline, you have cartels controlling the southern border. we have to reestablish the rule of law and defend our people. the president of the united states has to use all available powers as commander in chief to protect our country and the people. when they are coming across, yes we are going to use lethal force. we reserve the right to operate. how many more are we going to leave to die? i met a lady in texas named tracy and her son took one percocet that was laced with fentanyl, immediately died. that is happening across this country because of the poison they are bringing in. as president, what i use force? you are darn right i would. >> vice president pence, why would you be better at this issue than governor desantis? he refers to your administration as not finishing the wall. >> right. look. we secured the southern border and reduced illegal immigration by 90%. when joe biden took over, he threw open the southern border and the wave of humanity and the ways of fentanyl that has been described here, it is a wave of human tragedy. you began talking about who is best prepared to be the next president of the united states. with all humility, i was there when we negotiated through the government shutdown and got the funding available to build a wall. i was negotiating on capitol hill around the clock. we used economic pressure to bring the mexicans to the table and they allowed us to have people wait in mexico while they applied for asylum and it ended up asylum abuse overnight. we got the mexicans to deploy the national guard to the southern border as never before. as president of the united states of america, i will engage mexico the same way and we will partner with the mexican military and we will hunt down and destroy the cartels that are claiming lives in the united states. >> another issue is that almost 7 million migrants have crossed this border during the biden administration. governor christie, what would you do about the 7 million who are here? what would you do? >> the first thing we need to do is stop anymore from coming. then, we need to, with the folks that are here, we have to have law and order. we have to enforce the law. that means to make sure people who come here illegally are not rewarded for being here illegally. we have so many wonderful people from around the world who are waiting in line following the law to try to come here and pursue the american dream. those people are waiting and waiting and waiting because we haven't dealt with the problem of the folks who are here. we have to have them detained, make sure they are not rewarded. one last thing on this fentanyl issue. with china, we cannot take our eye off of that ball. it is important to secure the border, but china is sending these chemicals to these drug cartels for them to create the fentanyl that is killing our citizens. the chinese are engaging in an act of war against us, killing our citizens. we better make that priority one in our conversations and try to straighten that relationship out. if we don't, we will lose more of our citizens. >> would you send those people back? 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>> absolutely. the decline in education is one of the reasons our country is in decline. we need education, not indoctrination. in florida, we stood up for what was right. we had schools open during the covid and a lot of the problems we have seen is because they locked kids out of school for a year, a year and a half. i took a lot of fire for that, but i stood for our kids. we have to make sure that what our schools are doing is focusing on solid academics. we limited critical race theory. we eliminated gender ideology. we have elevated the importance of american civics and teaching our kids about the constitution and the bill of rights. i am going to lead an effort to increase civic understanding and knowledge of our constitution. we cannot be graduating students that don't have any foundation and what it means to be an american. >> you have said that the department of education, the fbi, atf, the irs, the department of commerce, many of these should not exist. >> that is correct. >> how would you deal with the crisis? >> we have a crisis of achievement. let's shut down the head of the snake, the department of education. take that money and put it in the hands of the parents. allow them to choose where they send their kids to schools. and teachers unions to allow public schools to compete. every high school senior should have to pass the same civics test that every immigrant had to pass to become a citizen. the fact of the matter is, there is a part of the education policy that rests with the family. i did not grow up in money. privileged gets used a lot. i had the ultimate privilege of two parents in the house with a focus on educational achievement. we have a federal government that pays single women more not to have a man in the house than to have a man in the house contributing to an epidemic of fatherlessness and that goes hand in glove with the education crisis. education starts with the family and the nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind. >> governor haley has said that biological boys playing in girls spots is the women issue of our time. you signed a ban in north dakota, there had not been one instance where it was needed. are you saying you think too much is made of this issue? >> we made a priority of protecting women's sports and we have done that in our state. i do think when we start talking about education and think we are going to have a federal government one-size-fits-all, we are losing track of the fact education differs by state. some districts are doing a fantastic job. the idea that every school district and state and teacher is indoctrinating people is false. when i was building a company from scratch, we built a global company with over 100,000 customers, we listened to the customers, we talked to them. as governor, education is one of the biggest parts of the state budget. i go, i shadow a student. the student finds out i'm going to go to every class with them. i don't lecture districts how to do it. i see the experience. what needs to change in education is innovation. we are doing at the same way we did it 50 years ago. i would get rid of the department of education and give block grants to schools, but i would give them on merit. i just got done holding the government's conference. you should see what people do when you cut loose the red tape. they care. teachers care about those kids. they are working low-paying jobs and they are fighting for those kids. >> you said this is the women's issue of our time. >> as a parent, the one thing you want is for your child to have a better life than you. we can talk about these things and there is a lot of crazy things happening in schools but we have to get these kids are reading. if they cannot read by third grade, they are four times less likely to graduate high school. we need transparency in the classroom because parents should not have to wonder what is being said or talked to their children. parents need to decide which schools their kids go to and let's put vocational classes back into high schools. let's teach our kids to build things again. >> i will always say i am going to fight for girls because strong girls become strong women. strong women become strong leaders. biological boys do not belong in the locker rooms of any of our girls. >> we are going to start the lightning round. the first question will go to you, vice president. >> nearly 70% of americans say he is too old to serve. should presidents have to pass a mental and physical test to serve? >> it might be a good idea to have everybody in washington, d.c., pass a mental -- look, 30 seconds, no, the american people can make those judgments. i am running for president of the united states because -- i was fighting against no child left behind when republicans were doubling the department of education. when i was governor, we doubled the size of the largest school choice program in america and we will give school choice to every family in america. >> i think you mentioned you are the youngest on the stage. you just said you want a civics test or public service test for those to vote. you want a mental acuity test for presidents over 75? >> -- i will tell you, i want to address vice president pence's comment. we do need somebody of a different generation to lead this nation forward. look at the way i have run this campaign, going from the south side of chicago. we have the ability to build a working class majority to deliver a landslide and i am the only candidate to bring all of those voters along to deliver a revolution. >> 30 seconds. [crosstalk] >> this is a lightning round, not rolling thunder. governor hutchinson, 30 seconds. >> on education, look at arkansas. we have to compete with china. we went from 1100 students to 23,000 students taking it. as president of the united states, i will make sure we go -- offering computer science for the benefit of our kids. >> we are trying to do a quick round of different topics here. faith is on decline in this country. is there a role for president of the united states? in changing that, what would you do? >> it was founded on the judeo christian values. god is able to do exceedingly above all we imagine. on education, the only way we change education is to break the backs of the teachers unions. they are standing in the door house of our kids, locking them into failing schools and locking them out of the greatest future they can have. >> governor desantis, would you support mandatory military service. >> i think it should be voluntary. i've deployed iraq alongside seals in places like fallujah. it is something i think has taught me, when you go in that environment, anything you have, your personal agenda, you chuck it at the door. it is about focusing on the mission above all else. guys come together and they get it done. that is how i would view being the president of the united states. it is not about me and these other side issues. my sole focus will be on your future and reversing this country's decline. >> now for something a little out of this world. do you believe the recent spike in ufo encounters -- i get the ufo question? >> if you were president, would you level with the american people about what the government knows about these possible -- coming from a woman from new jersey, it is horrible that just because i am from new jersey you ask me about unidentified flying objects and martians. we are different, but we are not that different. the job of the president of the united states is to level with the american people about everything. the job is to stand for truth. the job is to be a role model for our children and our grandchildren. whether it was ufos or this problem of education, i started this in 2010 going after the teachers unions and drove them down to a low popularity rating because they were putting themselves before our kids. that is our biggest threat to the country, not ufos. >> we have closing arguments and hannity is live from the spin room right here with reaction from all the candidates as sooner they step off the stage. we will be back after this. acellus courses for parents independently homeschooling their children. our complete k through 12 homeschool program includes courses in math, science, social studies, reading and language arts. it also includes electives such as music, 3d printing and programing. power homeschool has really transformed our child's experience and allows her to work at her own pace. visit our website at power homeschool dot org to learn more and start your child's educational 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look at the reagan library as the sunsets in simi valley, california. we will see you there next month when we host the next debate. >> we are partnering with univision and rumble to bring you the second republican presidential debate. it looks pretty nice there. 20 years ago, 70% of american adults said they were extremely proud to be an american. that number has now plummeted to just 39%. in his pitch to get to the oval office, president reagan called america the shining city on a hill, a big can of hope and optimism. >> so in your closing statement tonight, please tell american voters why you are the person who can inspire this nation to a better day. these are 45 seconds. and we begin with the governor. >> are understand why america is hurting. biden's inflation is choking as. i grew up in a small town, my dad died when i was freshman in high school. my mom went back to work. every job i had growing up was one where i took a shower at the end of the day, not at the beginning of the day. our cities are less safe because of the fentanyl pouring into the country. our economy is being crushed by biden's energy policies, which are raising the costs of every product you buy. one thing that i will do as president, i will secure the border. i will get this economy sprinting, not crawling like it is right now. and i would say that other thing is for sure, when i'm on horseback, and the badlands of north dakota, it looks like the horizon is just limitless. and what you can almost see beyond that horizon, you can see that this great country, our future is unlimited. we got to focus on innovation, not regulation. we got to "of the red typically -- the way we win the cold war is by growing our economy and through innovation and as president, i will bring out the best of america. i will approve every american life. >> i hope you are back on your horse soon, the governor. >> governor hutchinson. >> our nation is in trouble. it is in trouble because of failed leadership. and the solution is not four more years of joseph biden. the solution is not four more years of donald trump. of the solution is new leadership that can bring bold ideas to america a and to bring out the best of america. a president's number one responsibility is to bring out the best of our people. that is what ronald reagan did, and he did it with optimism and hope for our country and with consistent conservatism. that is exactly what i bring. as president, i will bring out the best of america in terms of individual responsibility, building our economy in terms of securing our border. enforcing the rule of law. i will bring out the best of america in terms of our national character, our faith, and our hope for the future. join in this fight. asa2024.com. >> thank you. senator scott. >> thank you. i was a disillusioned young man growing up in a single-parent household mired in poverty. arbiter of the american dream was real for a kid like me. i can stand before you today and say in the dream is alive. it is well. and it is healthy. i have the good fortune of a mom who worked 16 hours a day making sure we had food on our tables but she tell me if you are able body america, you work. if you take out a loan, you pay it back. you commit a violent crime, you go to the jail. and if god made you a man, you play sports against man. [laughter] [cheers and applause] i'm tim scott. on as he for your and if you are in iowa, i'm asking you to -- you can go-to vote to tim scott.com for more information or to make a contribution. >> governor christie. >> thank you. look, everybody on this stage wants to be the next president of the united states. and the only way that is going to happen is if we beat joe biden. on the throws i'm the only one on the stage who has beaten a democratic incumbent in an action. i did it in a deep blue state. beating a democratic incumbent is not easy. the last democratic incumbent president who was defeated was jimmy carter. and he was defeated by a conservative governor from a blue stay who knew how to get results, who stood for the truth, who cared about accountability and stood strong and hard against waste. those are the very things that i did in my eight years as governor of new jersey and exactly what i will do as president of the united states. believe me, the democrats want some of their nominee who has never beaten a democratic incumbent. i'm the one who can win this race and if you give me the chance, i will restore our country by winning it. >> thank you. governor healey. [cheers and applause] >> several weeks ago, i dropped my husband michael a combat veteran from afghanistan at 4:00 a.m. for another rear along deployment. i watch 10 and 202 soldiers picked up their duffel bags to go to a country they had never been there all in the name of protecting america. if they are willing to protect us from there, we should be willing to fight for america here. i will beat joe biden and he knows that. i will strengthen our economy and we will bring this inflation down. but we will put transparency into classrooms. we will secure our borders. we will have the backs of our law enforcement and we will make sure we have a strong national security. and once again, we will make sure we have an america that is strong and proud. we have a country. joined us. go-to nikki haley.com and let's get it done. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. it is an honor to be here. joe biden has weakened america at home and abroad. the disastrous withdrawal from afghanistan, the war on energy, runaway spending that launch that was inflation in 40 years, crisis at our southern border and assault on our values and liberties. and the american people have had enough. i know we can bring it back. different times call for different leadership. the republican party owes the american people the choice. proven leadership. at the national level that knows how to move a conservative agenda forward. we proved in the trump/pence years we could turn this country around and i have faith we will again. because i have faith in the american people. the good decent hard-working faith filled idealistic people of this country and i have faith that god is not done with america yet. and if we will renew our faith in one another, and renew our faith in himwh