>> THE HEAT WAS ON IN MILWAUKEE THIS WEEK WITH EIGHT CANDIDATES APPEARING FOR THEIR FIRST DEBATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

AS STEVEN POTTER REPORTS, VOTERS GOT A LOOK AT THE REPUBLICAN SLATE OF PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS FOR THE UPCOMING 2024 ELECTION.

SPEAKER AS A VOTER, I DIDN'T WALK AWAY COMPLETELY SOLD OR COMPLETELY PUT OFF BY ANYONE, REALLY.

>> THAT'S DESPITE THE EIGHT CANDIDATES TRYING TO MAKE THEIR MARK.

>> THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME.

>> IT WAS COMICAL AT A POINT.

I'VE SEEN ASPECTS OF SOME OF THE COMPETITORS THAT I HADN'T HEARD BEFORE.

>> POLITICAL SCIENTIST MORDECAI LEE SAYS REPUBLICANS HAVE AN IMPRESSIVELY DEEP BENCH.

>> WITH WISCONSIN BEING 49.9% DEMOCRATIC AND 49.9% REPUBLICANS, I THINK FOR THE DEMOCRATS WHO WERE WATCHING, THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS BE AFRAID.

BE VERY AFRAID.

>> WHILE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WASN'T THERE, HIS PRESENCE WAS FELT.

[CHANTING] >> HE WAS IN THE ROOM EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT HE DIDN'T SHOW UP, ALTHOUGH I THINK WE DO NEED A DIFFERENT PRESIDENT.

>> I AM LEANING TOWARDS TRUMP, BUT WITHOUT HIM HERE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO HEAR LOUDLY FROM THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

>> ONE OF THE MOST DISAGREEABLE TOPICS OF THE NIGHT WAS ABORTION.

>> I WILL SUPPORT THE CAUSE OF LIFE AS GOVERNOR AND AS PRESIDENT.

>> LET'S TREAT THIS LIKE A RESPECTFUL ISSUE THAT IT IS AND HUMANIZE THE SITUATION AND STOP DEMONIZING THE SITUATION.

>> 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.

>> ANOTHER HOT BUTTON ISSUE, CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A HOAX.

>> FIRST, YES, IS CLIMATE CHANGE REAL, YES, IT IS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO AND REALLY CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT, THEN WE NEED TO START TELLING CHINA AND INDIA THAT THEY HAVE TO LOWER THEIR EMISSIONS.

>> THE CANDIDATES WERE ALSO ASKED IF THEY WOULD STILL SUPPORT REPUBLICAN FRONTRUNNER TRUMP DESPITE THE CHARGES STACKING UP AGAINST HIM.

>> SOMEONE'S GOT TO STOP NORMALIZING THIS CONDUCT.

OKAY?

AND, NOW, WHETHER OR NOT...

WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THAT THE CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE RIGHT OR WRONG, THE CONDUCT IS BENEATH THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

[APPLAUSE] >> PRESIDENT TRUMP, I BELIEVE, WAS THE BEST PRESIDENT 21st CENTURY.

>> NOT SURPRISINGLY, DEMOCRATS WEREN'T IMPRESSED.

>> A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO RECOGNIZE WHY REPUBLICANS LOST IN 2020, IN 2022, AND ESPECIALLY THIS SPRING IN WISCONSIN IN THE SUPREME COURT ELECTION.

THE PUBLIC DOESN'T LIKE THIS KIND OF EXTREMISM.

>> FOR HIS PART, MORDECAI LEE SAYS DEBATES LIKE THIS GIVE VOTERS THE CHANCE TO CHOOSE THEIR TOP TIER CANDIDATES.

>> YOU'VE GOT THREE THAT YOU LIKE IN A CERTAIN PRIORITY.

THERE'S A ACCIDENT CHANCE THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WILL BE STANDING AND STILL IN THE RACE BY THE TIME APRIL COMES AROUND.

>> REPORTING FROM MILWAUKEE FOR