“I guess the bromance is over”, Donald Trump concluded in an interview on CNN after the Republican debate, reflecting on a relationship that might never be the same again.
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When GOP voters were asked, however, to choose between Trump and Cruz, the Texas senator came out on top with 51 percent, compared to Trump’s 43 percent.
The next Republican debate is set for January 28th in Des Moines, Iowa. But the likelihood of a major shakeup in the race becomes less and less as days pass. The GOP’s leading candidates exploded at each other during Thursday’s debate.
But Cruz was quick to respond, continuing to question Trump for his ‘New York Values’.
Later on, Trump added Cruz should be ashamed for criticizing New Yorker values.
“I recognize that Donald is dismayed that his poll numbers are flailing in Iowa”, Cruz said. Trump countered that NY has plenty of “loving people”, invoking the September 11th attacks and calling Cruz’s comments “very insulting”. He held a live Twitter town hall from the social media giant’s New York City offices.
The consensus? Despite a strong performance from Christie, the Republican primary race has narrowed to just two candidates who might mount a credible challenge to Donald Trump’s polling juggernaut: U.S. Sens. Rand Paul. He and Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, were both relegated to the lower-tier debate because their low poll numbers failed to meet Fox’s criteria.
Both Trump and Cruz have called for cracking down on legal and illegal immigration, as with Trump also advocating a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country in the wake of the Islamist militant inspired attacks last month in San Bernardino, California. As he took his first question, he chose to start by complaining about the time it took the moderators to give him a turn rather than simply make his case to the public.
“What kind of signal does that send to the rest of the world?” said Bush, who has struggled to gain any momentum in the race and often appeared overshadowed Thursday night. Bush said. “What we need to do is destroy ISIS”.
Biggest winners: “Trump (had) a good night: Style points: A. Substance: C”. He suggested Mr Trump was only turning on him because he is challenging Mr Trump’s lead, particularly in Iowa, which kicks off voting on February 1.
None did. But not for lack of trying. Marco Rubio of Florida. Kasich called for unity.
Rubio, who has tried to walk a careful line between courting conservatives and the party’s more moderate elements, was the most aggressive, attacking Cruz as well as New Jersey Governor Christie.
Rubio had nettled Christie earlier by referring to issues on which he had supported Obama and for him “sending a check to Planned Parenthood” – the women’s health organization that has been a target for the Republican candidates because it provides abortions. Rubio claimed that Christie “endorsed numerous ideas” that the president supports.
More mainstream hopefuls such as former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Ohio Governor John Kasich, and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio from Florida were left nipping at their heels and squabbling among themselves. “When you’re a senator what you get to do is talk and talk and talk and no one can keep up to see if what you’re saying is accurate or not”, Christie said.
And the candidates seemed just as eager to slam the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, with frequent invocations of the “Obama-Clinton economy” and “Obama-Clinton” foreign policy, as though the two were running mates, or full-time partners the last eight years.
Rubio noted several issues on which Cruz had changed his views or his stance, including the availability of green cards and legal status for immigrants in the country illegally, Trade Promotion Authority for President Obama, military spending levels and even the status of whistleblower Edward Snowden. He also accused her of telling “lies” to the families of victims in the attack on the USA outpost in Benghazi. “What do you do, concede the election to Hillary or insane Bernie?” He may be surging in some preference polls, but the Republican candidates remained focused on facing off against Clinton this fall.
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“… Mr. President, we’re not against you”.
