Winners and losers of the first GOP debate

A stormy Republican clash here Wednesday kicked off the 2024 debate season — even if the biggest name wasn’t on the stage.

Former President Trump’s decision not to participate in the Fox News debate at Fiserv Forum overshadowed the event and likely lowered its ratings.

Trump did not entirely cede the spotlight, though. His conversation with Tucker Carlson went live on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, five minutes before the debate began.

Trump will be back center stage Thursday, when he surrenders to authorities in Georgia, facing his fourth criminal indictment.

The Milwaukee debate gave his rivals a rare opportunity to reach a huge audience without the former president directly intervening or interrupting.

Here are the winners and losers from the big night.