Republicans Target Biden in Trump-Free Debate to Open 2024 Race

Republican candidates battled each other over the economy in their first debate of the 2024 race, waging attacks on President Joe Biden’s policies while seeking to gain ground on the absent GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.

Each of the eight contenders on stage in Milwaukee on Wednesday sought to break from the crowded field and present themselves as someone who could beat Biden in a general election, with many praising Trump but saying he couldn’t retake the White House.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a distant second in national polls, survived the debate without a major misstep but largely ...