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Immigration splits Republican White House hopefuls

Marco Rubio and Trump himself.

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Mr Trump was also booed when he asked of the only woman on stage, the former executive Carly Fiorina, “why does she keep on interrupting everyone?”

That drew a rebuke from Ohio Governor John Kasich, a former managing director at Lehman Brothers, who said the government couldn’t turn a “blind eye” to those who lose their savings in a major banking collapse.

But Tuesday, it seemed they had unanimously decided it was time to separate themselves from the group and establish their stances.

Three candidates – Bush, Rubio and Kasich – said the party should find a way to deal with immigrants already in the US into a few legal status, not send them home. Billionaire investor Paul Singer recently announced his support for Rubio in a letter to his extensive network of Republican fundraisers, encouraging them to follow his lead.

Let it be noted that most of we pundits are disgusting at predicting winners. “We need borders. We will build a wall”. Immigration is dividing Republican White House hopefuls and embarrassing a party eager to appear strong – yet welcoming to Hispanic voters.

“There’s nothing compassionate about exonerating the lawlessness and inviting millions of people to come illegal to this country”, Cruz told radio host Tony Perkins earlier Wednesday.

“And even having this conversation sends a powerful signal – they’re doing high-fives in the Clinton campaign right now when they hear this”. Rubio was an original sponsor of a bill calling for comprehensive changes in immigration policy, a position he has backed off during his campaign.

Jeb Bush speaks as John Kasich, left, and Marco Rubio listen during Republican presidential debate at Milwaukee Theatre, Tuesday, November 10, 2015, in Milwaukee.

The exchange started when Paul blasted Rubio’s economic plan as not “fiscally conservative” because it included a trillion-dollar expenditure on defense.

Rubio stumped for that 2013 bill – a compromise between conservatives eager to secure the border and liberals set on a path to citizenship for the undocumented – which he helped negotiate before later backing away from it.

Rubio offered the most nuanced response on the point.

“I know Rand is a committed isolationist”, Rubio said.

Cruz interjected that there’s a way to “split the difference”.

“You think defending our country is expensive?” Cruz said. “Try not defending it”.

But Cruz said he would offset any increase in military spending by cutting in other areas, offering up the federal subsidy for the sugar industry as a specific example.

While no single contender came out as a clear victor, several held their own and finally stepped up to the plate during the debate. “I’ve gotten great reaction, just in the last 15 hours or so, since everything was over”. Cruz said flatly that he would not, for example, give the Bank of America bailout money even if it were teetering on the brink.

“We have to make our military bigger, better and stronger than ever before”, agreed Trump.

“Hillary Clinton has said that Barack Obama’s policies get an ‘A.’ Really?”

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Carson Bio Largely Unquestioned: Coming into the debate, Carson was expected to face tough questions about certain discrepancies in his life story, which has served as a point of inspiration long before he became a presidential candidate. Yet moderators touched only lightly on that topic. He reminded voters of his political experience: “I’ve been vetted”.

Donald Trump