Jim Hartman: Haley, DeSantis top performers at GOP presidential debate

Eight Republican presidential candidates sparred on a Milwaukee stage Aug. 23 in a Fox News-sponsored debate seen by 12.8 million viewers.

With Donald Trump ducking this first debate, GOP voters were able to hear the other candidates and assess their abilities, policies and differences. It was a very good debate.

Most commentators credit Nikki Haley with a stellar performance. The former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador had an impressive command of policy issues as well as demonstrating her convictions.

From abortion to spending to Trump, she leveled with voters.

On abortion, Haley said, correctly, that a national abortion ban at 15 weeks is politically unattainable.

 She urged fellow pro-life Republicans to approach the divisive issue of abortion with more compassion and willingness to focus on “consensus” views at the federal level – late-term abortion, merits of adoption, the need for available contraception.

Haley’s honesty didn’t stop there.

“Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt,” she said. It isn’t just Democrats who have been fiscally irresponsible.

“Three-quarters of Americans don’t want a rematch between Trump and Biden,” Haley said. “And we have to face the fact that Trump is the most disliked politician in America. We can’t win a general election that way.”

This drew some disapproval from the Milwaukee audience. But saying true things in the face of booing is a mark of leadership.

Haley paints a positive vision for our country and bringing us together. She’s in former President Ronald Reagan’s tradition – the last Republican to defeat an incumbent Democratic president – in pointing us toward that “Shining City on a Hill.”

While not dominating the stage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stabilized himself and had some solid moments – particularly in his deconstructing “Bidenomics.”

DeSantis did a good job in explaining his widely popular track record as Florida governor, including on his COVID policies and fighting progressive prosecutors. He said he would have sacked Anthony Fauci.

DeSantis had a steady hand throughout the debate and came across as competent, untouched and above the fray.

A post-debate Fox News focus group and most available polling revealed DeSantis as the most popular choice among those who watched the debate and were asked to identify the “winner.”

Millions of voters were introduced to Vivek Ramaswamy in the debate. The 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur has a positive message about restoring America’s common purpose and identity. He’s smart, brash and guileful.

Ramaswamy seems to be running as a millennial Donald Trump with a slick stage presence. But, after a strong start, his act wore thin as he interrupted and insulted the other candidates. His personal favorability polling metrics crashed, accordingly.

He got masterfully schooled on foreign policy by Haley in a debate highlight. “You have no foreign policy experience,” the former U.N. ambassador concluded. “And it shows.”

Sen. Tim Scott had a familiar message of optimism and exhibited humor. But he stayed out of the fray most of the night and underperformed expectations.

The estimable former Vice President Mike Pence had a solid debate performance. He was good in eviscerating the glib false choice between aiding Ukraine or controlling the southern U.S. border.

He made several references to his religious faith that animates his principled pro-life position on abortion.

Unfortunately for Pence, his net favorability ratings among Republicans who watched the debate were underwater (-11). Likewise, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had positive debate moments but was also underwater (-25), according to the same Ipso poll.

Debate participants former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are unlikely to qualify for the next GOP presidential debate scheduled for the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California on Sept. 27.

With Trump absent, for at least one night GOP voters were able to see they have better – and more electable – choices in 2024.

E-mail Jim Hartman at lawdocman1@aol.com.