Spectre of Trump haunts debate as candidates jostle for spotlight

Abortion and the southern border energized presidential hopefuls, while the war in Ukraine elicited divided opinions

During the first Republican debate on Wednesday, eight candidates attempted to cast themselves as viable alternatives to Donald Trump while, for the most part, studiously ignoring the shadow of the doggedly popular former president who declined to appear on stage.

The Republicans alternatively railed on government excesses - promising, for example, to slash funding for federal programs - while debating the merits of a federal abortion ban and calling for an increasingly militarized southern border.