By Robert Fenbers

We are merely hours away from the first Republican debate of the season. Ten candidates will vie for the attention of not only Cleveland, but hope to swing voters who may be on the fence all around the country.

Quicken Loans Arena, will host what is likely to be an entertaining and enlightening sparring session from the best that the Republican Party has to offer. Some candidates have been quietly building momentum and others have found themselves in the news on a daily basis.

One of those candidates, Donald Trump has found himself thriving in the center of it all. His controversial comments on Mexicans, “They are bringing drugs and they are bringing crime and their rapists, and some are good people.” have caused uproar from Latinos around the country. Trump will most likely be fending off attacks from the rest of the field come Thursday night, yet, his me-against-everyone mentality seems to be boosting his lead in most major polls.

On the other end, Ohio Governor John Kasich has found himself just making the top 10. It will be a minimal home-field advantage as the governor finds himself a longshot to win the Republican nomination.

The 10 candidates will be Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Chris Christie and John Kasich.

The questions will come fast and furious with 60 second answers and 30 second rebuttals.

Some topics expected to be brought up during the debate include:

Economy– This could be one of the major topics covered at the debate. This should be especially intriguing as Cleveland’s Lebron-omy has been up and down in the past decade.

Homeland Security– Will any candidate step up to the plate when it comes to protecting Americans? There are sure to be some intriguing answers on this front.

Immigration- Perhaps the question on everyone’s mind will be, what will Trump say next? His jarring statement on Mexico will most likely be explored at length Thursday night.

China– As they increase their wealth and power, some have raised the question is China the most important foreign policy issue?

Terror– The hot button issue on everyone’s list ISIS and the Middle East. Candidates will look to be stern and comfort Americans on this issue.

Same Sex Marriage– With the legalization of same sex marriage in all 50 states, the discussion of this topic will surely cause some uproar as well as some applause.

This is not the first time that Cleveland has been in the spotlight. In 1924, the Republican National Convention was held in Cleveland at the Public Auditorium. The convention made history by being the first GOP convention to give women equal representation. The convention would eventually nominate President Calvin Coolidge.

As the candidates take the stage Thursday, Americans will seek answers. The spotlight will shine for some and others may find themselves struggling to get a word in. First impressions are often a telling sign. Who’ll stand out in Cleveland?