by Nick Castele
The first 2016 Republican presidential debate drew Northeast Ohioans to bars and clubs across the region for watch parties. Local conservatives were pleased, Democrats entertained and at least one Democrat was open to some GOP ideas.
At the City Club of Cleveland, 31-year-old Warren Lamberson said he appreciated seeing the top Republican contenders compete for attention on stage together.
But he said there’s one issue often on his mind that received only a passing mention—the Black Lives Matter movement that’s mobilized around the deaths of black men and women at the hands of police.
"So just talking about the things that have happened over the past few years from Ferguson to Cleveland even," he said. "Would have been interesting to be in Cleveland and hear their feedback on a national issue right now."
Though he often votes for Democratic candidates, Lamberson said he thought New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie performed well. Lamberson works in finance and said the GOP could possibly sway his vote by focusing on economic issues like taxes.
Down the street in Cleveland at the Union Club, conservatives gathered for a watch party. Jennifer Wallace traveled to Ohio from Illinois for the event, put on by the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a black conservative group.
She saud she thought Gov. Mike Huckabee and Dr. Ben Carson performed well, and one person from the early debate for low-polling candidates stood also out: Carly Fiorina.
"And I really do think that she will probably start to move up in the polls, because I think she did a really did a good job," Wallace said. "It would be nice to have her on the ticket at some point."
Candidates will have several more chances to make their mark in debates throughout the primary season.
