Miami, Florida – The third Republican presidential debate of 2023 took place on Wednesday evening, and TAG24 had live updates as the candidates spoke out and vied to keep up with front-runner Donald Trump.

Trump was not in the building at the third GOP debate. Instead, the ex-president chose to skip the event and hold his own rally 11 miles away.

Taking place at the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, the debate was broadcast live at 8 PM EST on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

The Israel-Gaza war, the Biden administration, border security, and abortion were anticipated topics on the agenda, with most hoping the night didn't descend into a shouting match like the last two debates.

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Five Republicans made their case to become the party's 2024 presidential nominee and likely take on President Joe Biden and the Democrats in November, standing across the stage on Wednesday from left to right: New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Trump's former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Senator Tim Scott.

The Republican Party organized the debate in partnership with the Republican Jewish Coalition, an influential conservative group.

Each candidate had one minute and 30 seconds to answer a question, and dived right in.

Storming right out of the gate, debate moderator Lester Holt asked each candidate why they should be nominated over front-runner Donald Trump, who is leading in polls by a landslide.

Candidates carefully avoided the former president's indictments and current criminal trials. Instead, Haley criticized him for sending the US into "8 trillion dollars of debt" and called him "weak in the knees and trying to be friendly again" in foreign policy.

Ramaswamy lamented over Democrats winning key races and upholding abortion rights on Election Day one day prior.

"We got trounced last night," Ramaswamy said, going on a rampage against the Republican Party. "We've become a party of losers."

He then turned on moderators and the RNC chairwoman, blamed the media for "rigging" elections and pushing biased coverage during Trump's era, and said he felt the debate should be moderated by Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Elon Musk.

When asked about the Israel-Gaza war, all five candidates stood strong in their stances to support Israel and "wipe out terrorists" at any cost. They did not make a distinction or address the more than 10,000 casualties reported in Gaza, many of which have been confirmed to be civilians and children.

Amid the back-and-forth over Israel, Ukraine aid, and viewing China as a threat, Ramaswamy took multiple shots at Haley, at one point calling her "Dick Cheney in three-inch heels." He then made reference to two people on the stage in heels, echoing a past insult Trump has lodged at DeSantis about wearing lifts in his shoes.

Haley quipped back, "They're not three-inch heels, they're five-inch heels," and joked she doesn't wear them unless she can run in them.

Plus, she added, "they're not a fashion statement, they're ammunition."

After a short commercial break, moderators returned with questions about TikTok and claims about China's data sharing.

Ramaswamy again took personal shots at Haley, saying her "own daughter" uses the app while she has criticized it, and brushing off the moderator's questions abut his own use of campaigning on the app.

Haley then warned he should keep her "daughter's name out of his voice" and called him "scum."

The candidates continued to rattle through questions about domestic policies on inflation, social security, raising the retirement age, and opioid smuggling at the southern border.

"Build a wall and have Mexico pay for it," DeSantis suggested in his answer on the country's rise in fentanyl deaths.

He then took things one step further, saying if someone were to sneak fentanyl into the US, that "will be the last thing they do."

"We're gonna shoot 'em stone cold dead," DeSantis threatened.

Offering up another extreme, Ramaswamy said he'd be for building a wall on both the US's northern and southern borders and to "seal the Swiss cheese" of tunnels that smugglers may have built to enter the country illegally.

The hot and highly anticipated topic of abortion finally came to the table in the last question before the final commercial break of the evening.

Scott said he would support a 15-week ban, while Haley continued to promote her more centrist views on abortion, suggesting she would endorse any legislation where sides could compromise.

Ramaswamy slammed "the Republican culture of losing," saying he was "upset" after voters in his home state of Ohio passed a referendum enshrining the right to an abortion in the state constitution the night prior. He blamed Republicans for not having a plan B.

All candidates said they were pro-life, with most believing abortion rights should be left to the voters of individual states to decide.

In closing statements, Scott said he believes the country needs more "faith, prayer, and Christian conservative values."

Christie believes Americans are tired of "division" and "anger" and are exhausted by "personal petty politics." He aims to return "honesty and integrity to the Oval Office."

Ramaswamy said his strength is that he's from a new generation, and will secure the US' economic freedom from China and "keep us out of World War III."

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He then called Biden "a puppet" for the Democratic Party and suggested Gavin Newsom or Michelle Obama would eventually become the party's actual 2024 nominees.

Haley stressed moving forward and fostering an "America that's strong and proud."

DeSantis repeated lines from his opening and said he would step up to defend the American people, fight for the future of American families, and asked voters to trust in him.

As Holt gave a last not-so-subtle jab at the audience for not holding their applause, he ended, "Goodnight everyone from Miami."