PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Republicans gathered to view the first primary debate Wednesday at watch parties around Tampa Bay. One was held at Quaker Steak and Lube in Pinellas Park, where about 30 people saw the candidates square off for the first time in the 2024 presidential campaign.

“Quite frankly, I just really want to see them go head to head,” said Evan Eastman with the North Pinellas Republican Club. “We’ve been hearing them all talk on their own at all these different speaking events. I’d like to hear some direct questions and see how they do under fire.”

No one Spectrum News spoke with at the event said they went into the debate fully backing any one candidate. They said this would be a chance to hear them all out.

“I’m looking forward to hearing who they really are,” said St. Petersburg resident Tom Cuba. “There are particular issues that I'm sure are going to come up, but how they deal with those issues and whether or not their answers to those issues are constitutionally founded or emotionally founded."

Cuba said he was glad to hear North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum talk about states’ rights during the debate.

Army veteran Laura Hartman said she wanted to hear where the candidates stood on issues important to former service members like herself.

“I'm not backing any one candidate,” Hartman said. “I'm really just focused on what is personal to me and my immediate family, and that's veterans’ health care."

Nearly an hour and a half into the debate, Hartman said she was disappointed veterans’ issues hadn’t been discussed. 

Eastman said Gov. Ron DeSantis is one of the candidates he’s been watching closely. He said he hoped to see a solid performance from the governor.

"He's been strong many times that I've seen him, but now I think it's his opportunity to swing it hard tonight,” Eastman said.

Not everyone was enthusiastic about DeSantis vying for the Oval Office.

"I love Ron DeSantis, but he was elected governor, and when you take the oath of office as governor, you sign a contract with the people of Florida. And right now, he's breaking that contract,” Cuba said.

When it came to front runner former President Donald Trump choosing not to attend the debate, Cuba said he thinks it’s political strategy. Hartman said she was glad Trump wasn’t part of the debate because she disagreed with the way he handled the COVID-19 vaccine while in office.

"President Trump, when he was president, encouraged the vaccination," she said. "The VA sent out direct text messages for veterans to go to the VA to get the vaccination."

“I think it's a missed opportunity,” Eastman said of Trump's decision not to participate. “I'd love to see him speak among the group. But at the same time, without his certain style of debate, I think it might be good to see how everybody else does on their own."

He said perhaps voters will get the chance to see Trump debate later in the campaign.