Mike Pence and Chris Christie knocked Vivek Ramaswamy as a know-it-all novice.

Nikki Haley leaned into being the only woman on stage.

And no matter whether former President Donald Trump is convicted of a crime, he still has the support of most of his rivals.

The first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election did not lack for fireworks, even with the absence of its frontrunner Trump.

Here’s a look at the must-see moments of the two-hour showdown:

Pence won’t vow to pardon Trump

The former vice president refused to vow to pardon Trump if elected — though he didn’t close the door to that possibility, either, after being goaded onstage by Vivek Ramaswamy.

“Join me in making a commitment that on day one you would pardon Donald Trump,” Ramaswamy challenged Pence.

“I don’t know why you assume Donald Trump will be convicted of these crimes,” Pence replied. “That is the difference between you and me. I have given pardons when I was governor of the state of Indiana. It usually follows a finding of guilt and contrition by the individual that’s been convicted.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks while flanked by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the first Republican Presidential primary debate at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on August 23, 2023.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Other candidates jumped in with more direct responses.

Pence and Scott voiced support for a national ban, arguing that failing to do so would allow blue states to continue providing abortions.

“We can’t leave it to Illinois. We can’t leave it to Minnesota,” Scott said.

Pence also hit Haley for her answer, calling it “the opposite of leadership.”

Burgum, who signed a 6-week ban in North Dakota, was the sole candidate to come out swinging against a federal ban, saying it would violate the principles of federalism in the Constitution.

It’s notable, as the candidates struggle with how far right they want to go on abortion, that the field in general is to the right of voters in New Hampshire, the first primary state, on the issue. Six in 10 New Hampshire voters opposed overturning Roe v. Wade. More than 70 percent identify as “pro-choice.” The state allows abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions afterward. Candidates tend to downplay or not mention their abortion stances when campaigning in the state. DeSantis, for instance, doesn’t talk about the 6-week ban he said in the debate he was “proud” to sign.

Haley touts the effectiveness of being a woman

Haley was the only woman on the Milwaukee debate stage Wednesday night.

And, within the first half hour of the program, she made sure people knew that — stepping into a spat between Christie and Ramaswamy.

Haley offered up a riff on a Margaret Thatcher quote, “This is exactly why Margaret Thatcher said, ‘If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.'”

Minutes later, Haley fired back at Pence for saying that he would sign a 15-week abortion ban into law at the federal level — pointing out that there aren’t enough votes in the Senate to pass such a measure.

“No Republican president can ban abortions any more than a Democrat president can ban all those state laws,” Haley said. “Don’t make women feel like they have to decide on this issue when you know we don’t have 60 Senate votes.”

Haley has been eager to distinguish herself as the only prominent female candidate in a field full of men. GOP voters, however, haven’t been quick to embrace Haley just because of her gender.

‘Climate change is a hoax’

GOP candidates during the first Republican debate argued over climate change, with Ramaswamy calling it a hoax.

“I’m the only candidate on stage who isn’t bought and paid for, so I can say this,” Ramaswamy said, though he caught some shade. “Climate change is a hoax…The reality is more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change.”

Ramaswamy’s remarks were booed by the crowd and slammed by Christie, who compared the entrepreneur to ChatGPT and former President Barack Obama.

Journalists cover the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. on Aug. 23, 2023.