Haley's first big moment of the debate comes as she spars with Pence on abortion, but the moderators cut off their conversation before it really developed. Somewhat unexpectedly, Burgum stands out on abortion too, unequivocally coming out against a national abortion ban on constitutional grounds.
-Analysis by Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections

Members of DeSantis’s campaign are still upset about a debate memo that was prepared and published last week by a super PAC supporting the governor, a source close to the campaign told ABC News on Wednesday, describing those members of his team as “wildly irritated.”

Chief among the complaints is that the memo, which detailed suggested approaches and lines of attack, effectively handcuffs DeSantis by preventing the governor from using any of the advice on stage lest he invite attacks from opponents for using lines manufactured for him by other people.

The memo included research documents that show that Axiom Strategies, a consulting firm tied to the super political action committee, anticipated that the biggest hits to DeSantis would include his battle with Disney -- ABC News' parent company -- past comments on Ukraine, Florida's Black history standard, the culture wars and abortion.

The packet also included past comments made by presidential hopefuls attacking DeSantis on those specific subjects.

DeSantis himself has downplayed the memo, telling Fox News recently, “It’s not mine. I haven’t read it. It’s just -- I think it’s something that we have put off to the side.”

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Will McDuffie and Olivia Osteen

Abortion hasn't just been a losing issue at the ballot for Republicans: Since the Dobbs decision, more Americans are supporting more liberal views on abortion than they have in decades. More Americans want abortion to be legal in most cases, and more Americans are suspicious of restrictions. The share of Americans who want abortion to be legal in the first trimester is 60 percent, according to Gallup.
-Analysis by Monica Potts of FiveThirtyEight

Haley was the first participant to name Trump during the debate, referring to the amount that was added to the nation's debt under the former president, who also oversaw the sweeping response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and a major tax cut.

-ABC News’ Abby Cruz

A hallmark of the American electoral process, debates are considered a key showcase for candidates seeking to hold the nation's top office.

Memorable moments include Ronald Reagan’s witty response to questions about his age and Kamala Harris’ challenge to Joe Biden on segregation and race, which prompted the viral line: "That little girl was me."

But not all debate highlights are positive. Richard Nixon’s sweating, Al Gore's relentless sighing and Rick Perry’s "oops" gaffe were considered costly to their campaigns.

"These are the only times we see them side by side," one expert told ABC News. "They provide opportunities for candidates to either help themselves or hurt themselves."

Read more here.

-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler