Below are updates on potential Republican candidates for president as they spoke at the Iowa Freedom Summit in Des Moines. For more updates, follow @theAlexHanson & @MakaylaTendall on Twitter.

—

Update: 11:45 a.m.

Early in the event, several prominent Republicans from Iowa, including Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, U.S. Rep. Rod Blum and U.S. Rep. Steve King spoke at the event.

Dr. Ben Carson,  neurosurgeon and potential presidential candidate, was the first to speak around 11:20 a.m.

Carson spoke for 20 minutes on several topics, starting with education.

“Anyone who gets an education can write their own ticket,” Carson said.

Carson spoke extensively on illegal immigration, calling for the next president, who he said would likely be speaking today, to secure the border within a year.

Carson also called for a guest worker program, pointing to the system Canada has in place. Carson said he wants those in the U.S. illegally to be able to “come out of the shadows,” although his plan would only allow immigrants to apply from outside the U.S. Carson also said businesses who employ illegal immigrants should face criminal charges.

Towards the end of his speech, Carson called for the U.S. to use more of their natural resources, saying it would help “put Putin back in his box.”

—

Update: 12:22 p.m.

Conservative politician, businessman and entrepreneur Donald Trump used his 20-minute Iowa Freedom Summit speech to distance himself from other Republicans for the 2016 presidential race.

Trump said President Obama has been “grossly incompetent,” but he said he blames Republican leaders for the less than satisfactory state of the country, as well.

“I’m very disappointed by our Republican politicians because they let the president get away with absolute murder,” Trump said. “Nothing ever happens.”

He began with the popular Republican promise that he would repeal Obamacare.

“Everything about Obamacare was a lie, a filthy lie,” Trump said.

Trump said he sees doctors closing their private practices because Obamacare has made it so they cannot afford to keep their doors open. He also said Obama’s promise that Americans could keep their healthcare plans if they wanted was a lie. Trump also said having extreme health care issues is the only way Americans can utilize the health care coverage they have now.

However, he said he wants Americans to have Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Trump also said we need to completely seal the borders to stop illegal immigration because “we have crooks and criminals coming in…and terrorists.”

“We have to build a fence. Who can build better than Trump? I build,” he said.

Trump also said the economy would be one of his top priorities. He said as a businessman he sees a large portion of our market being given to China and that he has made business deals that benefit Americans and hurt the Chinese.

“I’ve made so much money fighting against the Chinese and they respect me for it,” Trump said. “They say ‘we can’t believe what [you] get away with. We can’t believe how stupid your leaders are.’”

Trump also talked about a need to boost infrastructure with a focus on revamping our roadways and airports, which are sub-par now.

However, Trump said “the last thing we need is another Bush,” and he would do things differently as he “seriously considers running for president. 

—

Update: 12:50 p.m.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker stood out by pacing the stage without a jacket and rolled up sleaves.

During his 20-minute speech, Walker spent time thanking supporters for his recall election effort and spent extensive time talking about reforms made in Wisconsin.

Walker said he inherited a state filled with more unemployment, billions in debt, double-digit tax increases and government controlled by special interests.

Walker then spent time discussing accomplishments, including cutting spending, balancing the budget.

“We took power away from big government special interests and put it in the hands of hard working taxpayers,” Walker said. “That’s what we need more of in this country.”

Walker also said taxes are lower in the state than they were four years ago.

“We’re going to continue to lower taxes,” Walker said. “We understand it’s the peoples money, not the governments money.” 

Walker spoke of education reform and told the story of a teacher who had won an award for excellence in teaching, she was later fired because of her union contract, Walker said.

“We can put the best and brightest in our classrooms,” Walker said.

“No more seniority or tenure, you can’t hire or fire whoever you want, you can fire based on performance,” Walker said on new reforms that focus on teaching and not who has worked longest.

In the end, Walker said America needs a President who is focused on restoring opportunity.

“In America, opportunity is equal for each and every one of us,” Walker said. “The outcome is up to each and every one of us.”

—

Update: 2:05 p.m.

After a quick lunch break, several more speakers have taken the stage, including Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich spoke for 20 minutes, focusing mostly on foreign policy. 

In his speech, Gingrich said presidential candidates that come to Iowa should focus on foreign policy and have a plan to “combat radical islam.”

—

Update: 3:22 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton both spoke for 20 minutes. Bolton focused on foreign policy while Lee talked about three traits he is looking for in a presidential candidate, principled, positive and proven.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who won the 2012 Iowa caucus, took the stage around 2:55 p.m., first grabbing the crowds’ ear.

“I’m going to end the suspense and announce…Bella is doing great,” Santorum said teasing the crowd about a possible run, instead talking about his daughter who has Edwards Syndrome.

Santorum spent time criticizing President Obama on “middle-class economics.”

“Americans feel the division and we’re sick of it,” Santorum said, while talking about Obama dividing American among “class” lines and by race.

Santorum said the Republican party needs to continue to stand for lower taxes and spending, and less regulation.

“We need to be pro-growth, but we also need to be pro-worker,” Santorum said.

On education, Santorum echoed other speakers by saying education should be under local control.

“We need less common core and more common sense,” Santorum said.

Santorum criticized “the breakdown of the family,” saying it is the biggest reason for income inequality in America. Santorum said government should not be a barrier and obstacle; instead America needs to focus on the family structure.

Santorum also said welfare needs to be criticized, including corporate welfare.

Santorum talked immigration, saying the border should be secure, similar to what other speakers have said.

“We need to stand for an immigration policy that puts Americans and American workers first,” Santorum said.

Santorum also spent time discussing his role on the Senate Armed Services committee, clashing with President Bush over issues. Santorum said it proves that he can differ with his party on issues.

Santorum wrapped on Iowa, saying he likes Branstad and Grassley’s plan to visit all corners of the state.

“It is well worth the mileage and the sleep to go to all 99 counties in Iowa,” Santorum said.

—

Update: 4:05 p.m.

Sen. Ted Cruz’s speech, peppered with calls to action and religious references, garnered as excited of a reaction from the crowd as Gov. Scott Walker.

Cruz began by saying the GOP has a duty “reigniting the miracle of America.”

“This country was built on an extraordinary miracle. Our rights, they don’t come from government” Cruz said. “They come from God Almighty.”

Cruz reminded attendees that America is a place where those who come from humble beginnings can achieve the American Dream. Now, Cruz said, he is afraid for the American his children and grand-children will inherit.

“We will back down to no face of tyranny,” Cruz said.

The first key to bringing back an America of opportunity is to create job opportunities, Cruz said. America needs to create an environment that fosters the growth of small businesses, and to do that, Cruz said we need tax reform.

“We need to abolish the IRS,” Cruz said. “American’s should be able to fill out taxes on a post-card.”

Instead of the Internal Revenue Service, Cruz said take the 110,000 IRS workers and use them as border security to discourage illegal immigration.

The second key to improving America is to support all of our Constitutional rights, Cruz said. Part of that means  defending America from terrorists attacks, something Cruz said is not happening under Obama’s leadership. Cruz said Obama has shied away from responding to recent terrorist attacks around the world.

“You cannot fight and win the war on radical Islamic terrorism if you are unwilling to utter the words radical Islamic terrorism,” Cruz said.

Cruz said he will support legislation that says Americans will forfeit their citizenship “if they take up arms with ISIS.”

Cruz finished by asking voters to keep candidates accountable and asking their actions to back up their promises by saying “don’t talk, show me where you stood up and fought for it.”

—

Update: 5:40 p.m.

The end of Gov. Rick Perry’s speech was met with some booing from members of the crowd who held up signs that said “deportable?” after Perry mentioned his record of securing the Texas-Mexico border.

Perry said as governor of Texas, he knew the Mexican drug cartels allowed no one to pass the border into Texas unless they approved, so Perry called the Texas National Guard down to secure the border.

He also called on Congress, “who has become this debating society unable to act, only talk.” He said Congress needs to send the message that they are not going to listen to President Obama’s immigration reform, and they will secure the border.

Perry also said he is the perfect candidate to foster economic growth through the growth of small businesses and low tax burdens. America also needs to become an arsenal of energy, which the Keystone pipeline will assist with.

Americans do not want a slow-recovery program like they have gotten, Perry said. Voters in 2016 will vote for “a pro-growth agenda that returns jobs [and] increases wages” that will turn our country around quickly, Perry said. 

—

Update 5:50 p.m.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke next, taking the stage just after 5:20 p.m.

Near the beginning, Christie was also interrupted, this time by just a single protestor who was quickly escorted out.

Christie opened praising his “friend” Steve King, and told a story about King standing up for him during a congressional hearing.

Christie spoke of a “culture of distrust” in government today.

“We want a government that works the way civics books say its supposed to work,” Christie said.

Much like Perry, Christie touted work he has done as governor in a blue state, putting emphasis on being “pro-life.”

“I can assure you, being pro-life isn’t a political liability anywhere in America,” Christie said. “Being honest isn’t a political liability.”

Christie said being a conservative isn’t a liability, as well.

“If our conservatism is really going to succeed, it must be able to defend itself in every part of this country,” Christie said.

Christie, who is seen as apart of the Republican “establishment” and a “moderate,” said that voters won’t agree with a candidate 100 percent of the time.

Christie told the crowd to go home and look in the mirror, saying, “you’re the only candidate you’ll agree with 100 percent of the time,” but also said voters would know where he stands 100 percent of the time.

“The pursuit of happiness is a goal we need to work everyday to attain,” Chris said near the end of his speech.

Christie also quoted John Adams, saying he would fight for liberty, because he did not want to “repent in heaven” for working to “preserve” it, as Adams also said.

—

Update: 6:30 p.m.

Gov. Mike Hucakbee focused his speech on foreign policy and the American military. 

Huckabee called out President Obama for not being more aggressive in the recent acts of terrorism across the nation and for wanting to end the War on Terrorism.

 “We don’t call 911 out of fear, but rather to come and tell them to pick up the body,” Huckabee said. “These are not people who want a piece of land; these are not the people who want to rise in the pecking order. These are people who fundamentally believe you should never breathe another breath, and they are fully committed to the idea that you won’t.”

Like Cruz, Huckabee also said he wants to do away with the IRS so as not to stifle the growth of business with unreasonable taxes. 

“We will never be able to build a strong economy when we punish hard workers,” Huckabee said. 

Huckabee, who won the Iowa Caucus in 2008 and ended his FOX show several weeks ago to contemplate a run, was the final speaker. He spent his speech criticizing President Obama and Democrats. 

“Why aren’t we talking about how to get people to, not to a new minimum wage, but to a maximum wage?” Huckabee said in response to what he said was a misguided campaign to raise the minimum wage.

Huckabee also met with the crowd afterword, signing copies of his book “God, Guns, Grits and Gravy.” Huckabee also signed books in Ames, earlier on Saturday.