The biggest takeaway from this week's presidential debate

Wednesday in Milwaukee, eight White House hopefuls, including at least two Convention of States endorsers, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, gathered for the inaugural 2024 presidential debate, which proved to be more raucous than analysts previously predicted. However, without former President Donald Trump—“the elephant not in the room,” as host Brett Baier put it—the question remains whether the debate will have any real impact on the race, as Trump currently polls above 50% in most primary surveys. Nonetheless, a key lesson emerged from the event—an insight that pertains to whomever the eventual GOP nominee may be.

A prominent and recurrent motif throughout the evening centered on discontent with Washington. With a keen understanding of mounting public frustration toward D.C. and the elite ruling class, numerous candidates vowed either to abolish or at least significantly revamp bureaucratic agencies, including the IRS, DOE, and DOJ. Ramaswamy, for example, pledged that the only war he would declare as president would be a “war on the federal administrative state.”

Needless to say, voters are sick and tired of a weaponized federal government, and candidates vying for their support know it. Debaters referenced a number of grievances with Merrick Garland’s politicized Department of Justice, in particular, blasting Biden’s Attorney General for targeting the administration’s political opponents.

“When I'm president the first thing I'll do is fire (Attorney General) Merrick Garland,” declared Sen. Tim Scott. “The second thing I'll do: fire (FBI Director) Christopher Wray because we need lady justice to wear a blindfold."

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While the race has already been embroiled in controversy surrounding Trump and his contenders, the winning issue of the election is clear: the American people want a candidate who will wage war on D.C. and seriously reform the federal government.

As COS endorsers, Vivek and DeSantis know that the political reset the system so desperately needs cannot ultimately come from within Washington. Voters must guard against believing any one candidate can single-handedly fix the problems which now confront us. We’ve heard their promises before—they never come true.

This week's debate served as a reminder that the time has come for an Article V convention, through which the states can limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials. The American people are ready for it. We want a candidate who will crush the federal administrative state, but if we want to actually get the job done, it’s time to call an Article V convention.

For those who stand united against federal overreach, the call to action is clear—sign the Convention of States petition today and join our endeavor against federal tyranny.