Taking center stage and driving the most intense exchanges in the initial segment of the debate was Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old newcomer in politics and a technology entrepreneur.
Despite trailing behind Trump, Ramaswamy has made steady progress in recent polls, resulting in his prominent position beside Florida Gov.
Ron DeSantis at the heart of the stage.
He wasted no time in showcasing his media-ready image and sticking to his key message, recounting how his humble immigrant parents moved to the U.S. and how he, in turn, founded billion-dollar companies.
