Fact check: The first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election

CNN — Eight candidates for the Republican nomination for president took the stage for the first GOP debate Wednesday night in Milwaukee. Below is a fact check of some of their statements. Fact Check: DeSantis and the pandemic Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the federal government for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming it had locked down the economy, and then said: "In Florida, we led the country out of lockdown, and we kept our state free and open." Facts First: DeSantis's claim is misleading at best. Before he became a vocal opponent of pandemic restrictions, DeSantis imposed significant…