Republicans sparred over economic issues and immigration Tuesday, a more expansive exchange that allowed the candidates to speak in more depth and likely allowed most to bolster their appeal without substantively changing the contours of the presidential race.
Ben Carson, battered in recent days by news reports questioning various claims he’s made, turned a question into how he’s being vetted into an attack on Hillary Clinton.
Marco Rubio, who received accolades after the last debate, had another good night but found himself defending his conservative credentials.
Jeb Bush needed a standout performance after slumping polls, but he didn’t get one, scoring the best point on an issue that his base hates.
And Chris Christie, demoted from the prime-time debate by sub-par polling numbers, dominated the earlier “happy hour” debate – returning again and again to attacks on Clinton amid a spirited debate over taxes and spending, particularly on entitlement programs. “Hillary Clinton’s coming for your wallet, everybody,” he said.
Main takeaway
After the chaos of the last debate, the fourth Republican presidential debate largely stuck to its focus on the economy, featuring detailed explanations of the candidates’ tax proposals. They mostly agreed that the U.S. should not raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
But stark differences emerged on how to handle illegal immigration and how large a national defense program the U.S. can afford, a reminder that the race remains wide open and the competition is intensifying as the candidates race toward caucus and primary voting early next year.
The candidates got more aggressive as the debate went on, interrupting and criticizing each other as they looked to gain attention in a crowded field. It was the last debate for five weeks.
Top quotes
Donald Trump: “There is nothing that we do now to win. We don’t win anymore. Our taxes are too high.”
Marco Rubio: “For the life of me, I don't know why we have stigmatized vocational education. Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.”
Carly Fiorina: “We must take our government back.”
Ben Carson. “I have no problem with being vetted. What I do have a problem with is being lied about.”
Ted Cruz: “If Republicans join Democrats as the party of amnesty, we will lose.”
Controversy 1.0
The candidates clashed heatedly over Trump’s proposal to deport 11 million immigrants in the nation illegally.
Bush and Kasich ripped Trump’s proposal, saying it isn’t practical and is damaging to the Republican Party.
Bush said mass deportations “would tear families and communities apart” and argued that just considering the idea hurts Republicans. “They’re doing high gives in the Clinton campaign when they hear this,” he said.