Workers prepare the debate hall for the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on January 14, 2016 in SC. He denounced The New York Times report on the loan as “a hit piece” about a “paperwork error” and said that the loan was disclosed on other forms.
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Cruz also said that Democrats could hypothetically raise questions about Trump’s citizenship as well, because his mother was born in Scotland.
Trump then painted a hypothetical scenario in which he won the nomination and chose to offer the vice-presidency to Cruz, asking what would happen if the Democrats bring a suit and the courts decide that “we can’t bring [Cruz] along for the ride”. “I am convinced if he could get rid of the second amendment he would”.
“I like it”, Trump replied.
Cruz said while there are many wonderful people in New York, “everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, are pro-abortion, are pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media…” “And frankly if you would’ve been there, and if you would’ve lived through that like I did with NY people – the way they handled that attack was one of the most incredible things that anybody has ever seen”.
Florida Sen. Rubio went even further, saying Clinton was “disqualified for being commander in chief”, accusing her of mishandling classified information and lying to the families of Americans killed in the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
The divide between the anti-Washington and establishment candidates has given definition to a race that has been otherwise unwieldy and chaotic.
Trump, leading handily in national polls, faced challenges from his competitors over his call to ban Muslim immigration to the United States and his threat to impose tariffs on China over trade disputes.
Donald Trump does now hold a double-digit lead over Republican opponent Sen. In recent days, he’s criticized the real estate developer on taxes, guns and health care, saying Trump would not apply conservative principles to the nation’s problems.
“He’s not a conservative”, Bush said. “We don’t need to add new rules, we need to make sure the Federal Bureau of Investigation does its job”.
This primetime debate was the smallest lineup yet of GOP contenders: Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump took the stage. Trump responded first by citing polls showing him ahead, earning a smattering of boos.
Missing from the stage was Rand Paul and Carly Fiorina.
Given Cruz’s rise in Iowa and New Hampshire polls, look for more piling on.
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Thursday’s Republican Party debate – the first of the year – came less than three weeks before the Iowa caucuses kick off this year’s voting. Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey in Des Moines and Melissa Nelson-Gabriel in Pensacola, Florida, contributed.
