Last Wednesday’s GOP debate marked the informal beginning of peak primary season.
The crowded GOP field met face to face, offering voters the opportunity to consider their options in direct relativity to one another.
As is the going media practice, let’s consider who won, and who lost the first GOP debate.
Winner: Mike Pence
The former Vice President has suffered from notably suppressed poll numbers. Usually, when a vice president runs for the presidency he is a favored and viable candidate. But Pence has been stuck in the low single digits.
The first debate signaled something of a turnaround for Pence. If not with respect to polling then respect to standing. The other candidates on stage essentially paid tribute to Pence’s actions on January 6th. And Pence, to his credit, operated with a sharpness and a liveliness that is not typically associated with the Christian conservative.
Pence was clear and direct on abortion, quoting the Bible and endorsing a federal ban. And Pence went after his opponents with vigor, telling 38-year-old Vivek Ramaswamy that “now is not the time for on-the-job training. We don’t need to bring in a rookie.”
It was a good night for Pence.
Winner: Vivek Ramaswamy
When you’re a political neophyte who no one had ever even heard of a few weeks ago, getting the center podium at a crowded GOP debate is an inherent win. But Ramaswamy didn’t just take part in the debate, he was a near-constant presence – ranking second in time spent speaking (behind only Pence). Ramaswamy was also, very obviously, the primary concern of the field, drawing consistent ire and criticism. Drawing ire and criticism can be a double-edged sword, of course – but it suggests relevance and it suggests viability. Mike Pence and Nikki Haley wouldn’t dedicate valuable airtime to skewering Ramaswamy if they didn’t view him as a contender.
Really, Ramaswamy had just about the lowest bar for success of anyone on stage and he cleared that bar.
Winner: Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump loomed over the debate like a specter; the debate confirmed that Trump is still the dominant figure in GOP politics and that the best anyone on the stage can really hope for at this point is to be scooped up into the Trump administration.
Loser: Tim Scott
Personally, I appreciate that Tim Scott isn’t as TV-ready or polished as some of the other candidates. And I appreciate that he operates with the old-school civility lacking in modern politics. But Scott entered the debate as a middling candidate in the second tier. He needed a big night to differentiate himself from Haley, Pence, and Christie.
Scott didn’t have a big night. It’s not that anything went especially wrong for Scott – he just didn’t stand out or engage meaningfully. And maybe there’s long-term value in staying above the fray, especially given that the nomination is likely locked up (Trump), but with singular respect to Wednesday’s debate, Scott wasn’t a winner.
Loser: Ron DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may have had the highest bar to clear for a successful evening. He entered the race at number two in the polls, as a former favorite, but with a campaign that has been trending in the wrong direction. DeSantis recently “reset” his campaign, and a big debate performance would have further facilitated that much-needed reset. But DeSantis fell short. He was often relegated to the periphery while people like Ramaswamy, Pence, and Christie dominated the conversation. DeSantis was fine, but he needed more.
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor and opinion writer at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
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