9 things we learned during the first Democratic debate for the 2020 presidential election

Ten candidates took the stage for the first Democratic debate for the 2020 presidential election on Wednesday in Miami.

In case you missed it, or are just looking for a recap, Channel 9 political reporter Christopher Heath broke down nine things we learned from the first debate.

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Gone in 60 seconds: With 10 candidates on the stage with strict time limits, there was a limited amount of time for anyone to give details for their policies. The usual "throat clearing" that candidates do when asked about an issue took up most of the time.

Hi, my name is: Only a few of the 10 candidates on the stage in Miami are what could be considered "household names," making Wednesday the first chance for some to talk to a national audience. Candidates like John Delaney and Julián Castro made the most of this time, interjecting where they could and pushing back on other candidate ideas.

Hablo español: Beto O'Rourke, Julián Castro and Cory Booker all flexed their Spanish skills. In a county (Miami-Dade) where almost 70 percent of the population is Hispanic, those candidates with an ability to speak Spanish used the platform to deliver a message to the fastest growing portion of the U.S. population.

.@BetoORourke with the Spanish in a county that is 68.6% Hispanic
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

Doctor, doctor: Health care was a driving issue for Democrats in 2018 when they regained the U.S. House; 2020 appears to be no different. While the candidates criticized the GOP and President Donald Trump for efforts to undermine health care, they were not united on a plan for expansion. Only Elizabeth Warren and Bill de Blasio said they were in favor of abolishing private insurance in favor of "Medicare for all," an idea that John Delaney said was unworkable due to cost and the prospect of denying people the option of private coverage.

Only @ewarren and @BilldeBlasio raise hand in favor of abolishing private insurance.
Warren adds, "I'm with Bernie on Medicare for all"
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

.@BetoORourke talks about place in Texas where the county jail is leading provider of healthcare.
This is true for parts of Florida too.
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

.@JohnDelaney throws cold water on the Medicare for all plan, says you need to have an option for private if people want. Says hospitals can't stay open at medicare rate
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

Kentucky Waltz: Mitch McConnell cast a large shadow over the debate hall as the candidates struggled to explain how they will move any legislation through the U.S. Senate if McConnell and the GOP continue to control the upper chamber after 2020. Republicans hold 53 seats right now, and while there are some Democratic targets in 2020, the party is far from a lock to retake the Senate, leaving McConnell and a GOP majority in a position to stifle any legislation.

Don't speak: It's live TV and anything can happen. For NBC, an issue with microphones led to a quick break to commercial and a tweet from President Trump.

.@NBCNews and @MSNBC should be ashamed of themselves for having such a horrible technical breakdown in the middle of the debate. Truly unprofessional and only worthy of a FAKE NEWS Organization, which they are!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2019

A civil action: In the two-hour debate, there were no personal attacks, with candidates instead fighting over issues of policy. While details remained thin, there were noticeable disagreements about broader issues, albeit, without the personal and character attacks.

Tension between the two Texans, as @JulianCastro cuts into the @BetoORourke answer on immigration.
Like Sanders and Warren, O'Rourke and Castor may have the same support base, and the race can't support two at the same time
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

Florida: From the 2018 school shooting in Parkland to the migrant children being housed in Homestead to sea-level rise in Miami, there were more than a few Florida-specific issues on display. The state of candidates all called for increased focus on mental health as well as universal background checks for guns. They also roundly denounced the expansion of child-separation calling for reunification and expedited hearing for people seeking asylum. On sea-level rise, the answers were a bit more divergent, although the calls for reducing pollution and carbon ran throughout.

Applause for @JulianCastro when he says it is time to pass the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)
Florida is one of the states that has not ratified the ERA
Texas, his home state, ratified the ERA in 1972
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

Working class hero: The first question of the night is one Democrats will have to answer, as it will be the tent pole of the Trump re-election plan: the economy. Majorities of Americans say, according to polls, that the economy is doing good night now. When he was in Orlando last week, President Trump made several references to the economy, jobs, and the stock market; showing he plans to run on what are positive economic numbers. For Democrats, the chorus on Wednesday was that while the economy is good, it's not good for everyone and too many people are still struggling to get by even in a robust national economy.

.@ewarren with first question, asked about all her plans for "free stuff" when +70% say the economy is doing great.

Warren says the economy is "doing great" for smaller and smaller sections of the population.
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

"Let the free market work" - @CoryBooker using what had been an standard GOP line
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) June 27, 2019

The second Democratic debate will get underway Thursday at 9 p.m. also in Miami. Follow our local expert Christopher Heath on Twitter (@CHeathWFTV ) for live updates from the debate.