COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The first Republican presidential debate provided an opportunity for candidates to make their cases directly to a national audience, and some of that attention is translating into boosts for their campaign coffers. A spokeswoman for Vivek Ramaswamy tells The Associated Press that the biotech entrepreneur’s campaign has taken in $450,000 since the debate Wednesday night, with an average donation of $38. The political newcomer criticized some of his rivals on stage as “super PAC puppets” who were using “ready-made, pre-prepared slogans” to attack him. Other campaigns didn’t immediately respond to messages about their post-debate fundraising.
