we're more than a year away from our next presidential election but we have a better idea of who the top candidates are and what their platforms looked like last night eight presidential candidates vying for a chance to take on former president Donald Trump battled it out on the debate stage in Milwaukee some Came Out Swinging some ended up stalling Chris Christie was one of them the former New Jersey governor didn't quite have the night he hoped for and at one point was booed Christie as expected took aim at Trump and landed a few punches against political up-and-comer Vivek Ramaswamy who by all accounts dominated much of the stage last night senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan has more on the moments that stood out in this first of many Republican primary debates to come this is the great thing about this country booing is allowed but it doesn't change the truth it doesn't change the truth Chris Christie tried to debate Donald Trump but the Jersey guy known for hammering opponents with his signature in your face takedown found that tough going without his main target in the room Trump sitting on a 30 to 40 point lead in most polls skip the GOP debate for a chat with Tucker Carlson when Fox moderators asked whether candidates would support Trump even if he's convicted of a felony Christy opted out 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 it just didn't look good I mean he got booted on the introduction everybody else gets an Applause and what does he get he's like Charlie Brown getting coal at the uh on Halloween columnist Charlie style call this debate a bust for Christie particularly the former New Jersey governors tussle with Vivek ramaswamy the tech entrepreneur who claimed he'd pardoned Trump had introduced himself to the debate crowd as a tall skinny guy with a funny name and did not mince words I'm the only person on the stage who isn't bought and paid for so I can say this the climate change agenda I've had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like Chachi BT standing up here and the last person in one of these debates Brett who stood in the middle of the stage and said what's a skinny guy with an odd last name doing up here was Barack Obama and I'm afraid we're dealing with the same type of amateur stand in stage tonight hahaha give me a hug just like you did though this guy this novice got the last word on Christy by reminding the world how he quote unquote hugged Barack Obama after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 which has been The Mark of Cain for Christy in the Republican base nationally Christie's polling far behind second place Governor Ron DeSantis this was a chance to break out of the pack analyst Chris Russell says Christy did okay he's a solid debater he's a good communicator I didn't think last night that he found the moment that he had saying in back in 2016 when he had the the moment with Marco Rubio where he kind of stood out and it was a kind of a buzzworthy moment the next day I don't think he had one of those her and I think he probably needed one well I think the debate last night served the governor well um gave him an opportunity to um once again show like he's the straight talker uh speaking about truth the chair of Christie's Super PAC admits the debate crowd did reject some of Christie's anti-trump message but 75 of the country doesn't want Donald Trump or Joe Biden on the ticket next fall so I think there are plenty of people for the governor to talk to um and just because you know there were some Trump supporters in the audience last night you know doesn't doesn't bother me at all the high point last night the lightning round where moderators asked everyone substantive questions but saved this for Christy do you believe that the recent spike in UFO encounters I get the UFO question if we had standout moments and impact uh you know not least of which was the UFO question to end on but you know he definitely stood his ground and he was in really the top four alongside Mike Pence Nikki Haley and Vivek Roma Swami pollster Ashley Koenig says Christie's second presidential run like the first goes through New Hampshire he's pulling better there he's qualified for the next debate in California I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight News