Just four days before the pivotal Iowa caucuses, the Republican presidential candidates – minus their front-runner Donald Trump – faced off in Des Moines, Iowa, in a last attempt to lock up their support and win over any undecided voters.
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The ironic part is that if this debate somehow lowers the buzz and enthusiasm around the primary and keeps caucus turnout low, it actually benefits Cruz, who is polling second behind Trump in Iowa. Marco Rubio, Sen. Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. He opened the debate with a pretty spot-on impression of the property mogul’s frequent insults of his opponents.
“But Canada doesn’t accept anchor babies”.
Practically speaking, there is no way Trump’s event could have out-rated the debate.
He repeatedly said his advisers told him to scrap the Nashua appearance because of the long traveling between Iowa and New Hampshire. Fox averaged a record-smashing 25 million viewers last August during the first Trump-fueled debate of the season. He said he was too loyal to New Hampshire to do that.
Plus, some viewers likely tuned in to see what the other seven candidates would say about Trump without him there.
Trump began assailing the Calgary-born Cruz over questions about his citizenship status earlier this month.
Instead, Trump he held his own rally in Iowa at the same time, which he promoted as a way to raise money for charity.
Trump counterprogramming failed, as CNN and MSNBC, the two cable networks that carried large swaths of his rally live, together drew only 2.7 million viewers. Trump says he would replace that law and make other deals that would accomplish his public policy goals.
Colbert’s all-Trump debate took place on the same night that Trump boycotted Fox News’ GOP debate over issues with moderator Kelly and Fox News chairman Roger Ailes.
Trump’s absence put the spotlight on Cruz, who is challenging for the lead in Iowa, as well as on Florida Sen.
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The fact is, and I said it, you know I have a very good relationship with Fox, but when somebody doesn’t treat you properly, you got to be tough, you got to be strong, you got to be, you can’t let them push you around. Fox Business’ more recent Republican candidates debate, in which Trump participated, Fox Business brought an audience of 11 million.
