Moderates and Progressives clash on night 1 of the Detroit presidential debate

DETROIT – Democratic candidates took to the stage in Detroit on Tuesday to debate a number of hot-button topics, including immigration, healthcare, and gun control. 

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was among the debaters, which included top contenders such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Buttigieg answered questions on gun control, immigration and race.

“Right now in the wake of a police involved shooting, our community is moving from hurting to healing by making sure that the community can participate in things like revising the use of force policy, and making sure there are community voices on the board of safety that handles police matters,” Buttigieg said during the debate. “I proposed a 'Douglass Plan' to tackle this nationally because mayors have hit the limits of what you can do unless there's national action.”

Healthcare was another topic of focus that drew sharp disagreements from the moderate and more progressive candidates, with Congressman John Delaney saying that Medicare-for-all is “political suicide.”

“You’re wrong,” Senator Bernie Sanders responded. “Health care is a human right, not a privilege. I believe that. I will fight for that.”

Healthcare took up the first 45 minutes of the debate and came up again multiple times later.

Bernie Sanders had the most talking time but experts are saying that Buttigieg put in a strong performance by gambling a little and talking about some of the big issues.