The eight republicans who participated in the debate on Thursday night were all looking to gain support or a foothold in the early stages of the presidential campaign. Some are already household names and some are hoping to be but have a long way to go if they want to impress voters.
In Syracuse, some voters said they wanted more substance and less rhetoric from the candidates.
"I think we have plenty of issues in this country to solve or talk about or think about and it would be nice to know what people were actually thinking of doing what their opinions were, what their ideas were," said Nancy Mitchell in downtown Syracuse.
Other voters said they were already turned off by bickering between the candidates.
"I think it's gotten to where it's just nasty name calling and I'm just real tired of it," said Vicky Giglio. Giglio added that she did not plan on watching the debate.
Republican Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle said that jobs and the economy were the top issues on voter's minds and Republican candidates needed to prove they could make a change.
"That's what we need in a president. someone who understands that small businesses - they're the backbone, not the government. When we grow government, we're not creating the type of jobs this economy needs," said Buerkle.
The republican candidates will come together on September 7th in California for their next debate.
