WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The 10 Republicans seeking their party's presidential nomination were guests of former first lady Nancy Reagan at tonight's debate held in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. But a majority of them refused to embrace one of her pet causes: embryonic stem cell research.

Only two candidates, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, clearly stated they would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

McCain said, "This is a tough issue for those us in the pro-life community ... we need to do what we can to relieve human suffering."

Giuliani stated, "as long as we're not creating life in order to destroy it, as long as we're not having human cloning ... there is plenty of opportunity to then use federal funds" for embryonic stem cell research.

Staunch anti-abortion advocate Sam Brownback of Kansas voiced concerns echoed by much of the rest of the field when he said, "with all due respect to Mrs. Reagan ... it is not necessary to kill a human life for us to heal people."