MIAMI (CN) - Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls, most of whom hoping to break out among a crowded field, presented their vision of a more progressive America on Wednesday night in the first debate of the 2020 presidential election.
Immigration, gun control and wealth inequality dominated the two-hour debate as candidates struggled to convey subtle policy differences in 60-second snippets.
The debate, held in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami, was a chance for well-known politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke to continue the messaging they've perfected over the last couple years.
Candidates polling in the single digits hoped the night would give them an opportunity to break through the pack.
Warren held the coveted middle spot on the stage flanked by the other candidates: O'Rourke, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio; former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
Booker, O’Rourke and Warren largely dominated debate time while Ryan and Delaney became frustrated in the second half for lack of time.
The contenders began the debate agreeing on income inequality.
"Who is this economy really working for?" Warren asked. "It's doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top. It's doing great for giant drug companies. It's just not doing great for people who are trying to get a prescription filled."
While listing his accomplishments in New York City, de Blasio continued the theme.
"Let me tell you, every time you talk about investing in people and their communities, you hear folks say there's not enough money," he said. "What I say to them every single time is, there's plenty of money in this world, there's plenty of money in this country. It's just in the wrong hands. Democrats have to fix that."
Healthcare brought the first policy differences among the candidates when moderator Lester Holt asked who would support abolishing all private insurance. Only Warren and de Blasio raised their hands.
"I'm concerned with kicking half of America off their job's health insurance in four years," Klobuchar said.
Delaney, who led two publicly-traded companies before age 40, also pushed hard against such a plan.
"We should be the party of keeping what's working and fix what's broken," he said.
In a nod to Miami residents, home to a large and diverse Hispanic community, candidates like O'Rourke peppered many of his responses with Spanish. Warren and Klobuchar brought up their visit to a migrant shelter for children in Homestead this week. The candidates criticized the facility, the largest in the country recently beset by allegations of sexual abuse.
Passions rose after moderator Jose Diaz-Balart of Telemundo brought up the recent deaths of an immigrant father and his 23-month-old daughter, whose dead bodies were captured on camera.
"Watching that image of Oscar and his daughter, Valeria, was heartbreaking and it should piss us all off," Castro said to roars from the audience.
Castro pushed back against his fellow Democrats after asking them to repeal the federal law that criminalizes illegal entry into the United States. At one point, Castro targeted O'Rourke, who would not pledge to repeal the law