The GOP debate stage shortly before the debate began. (Getty)
Tonight’s GOP debate comes just one week from the South Carolina primary, a pivotal turning point in the campaign for far-behind candidates like Jeb Bush and Ben Carson, as well as a crucial time for Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz to separate themselves from the pack in their race to chase down South Carolina and national frontrunner Donald Trump. The debate saw fiery exchanges about President Bush’s legacy, foreign policy, taxation and health care.
Read our recap below, then vote for your favorite in the poll at the bottom of the page.
Justice Scalia
The debate opened with a moment of silence marking the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and his passing inspired the first round of questions.
Trump didn’t deny that Obama’s prerogative was to select the nominee, but advocated a “delay, delay, delay” strategy to give the political process time to sort itself out.
Kasich echoed the President’s wishes to avoid polarization in urging the President not to immediately appoint Scalia’s replacement:
.@JohnKasich:@POTUS shouldn’t move forward on selecting Justice Antonin Scalia’s replacement t.co/zvKbFLxR92
Carson criticized the idea of lifetime Supreme Court appointments as a relic of the shorter life expectancy in the era the Constitution was written:
Rubio pointed out the trend-breaking of having a “lame-duck” President appoint a Supreme Court Justice:
.@marcorubio on @POTUS nominating a successor for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia t.co/IE6az30EtG
Cruz spoke of his experience with the Supreme Court to underscore his “judgment” in picking a Justice:
Voters must determine who has the judgement to nominate principled constitutionalists to the court t.co/MJuREMzPc9 #GOPDebate
Bush explicitly rejected Bernie Sanders’s idea of a “litmus test” for Justices:
Jeb Bush addresses the possibility of a “litmus test” for Supreme Court nominees: “Not on specific issues. Not at all.” #GOPDebate
National Security/Foreign Policy
Donald Trump was asked the first three questions he’d have for his foreign policy experts:
3 critical questions for Trump, if elected: “What we want to do, when we want to do it and how hard we want to hit.” t.co/aP9BFIYnJS
Bush revealed his own foreign policy priorities:
Jeb Bush: “We need to destroy ISIS and dispose of Assad.” #GOPDebate
Trump continued his stragegy of immediately attacking Bush (and a less-than-receptive audience) following his comments:
Things heat up between @realDonaldTrump and @JebBush during #GOPDebate
Trump also criticized the war in Iraq, President Bush’s defining foreign policy event.
Bush responded:
The exchange sparked a round of debate about the Bush legacy, with Marco Rubio claiming that he “thanked God” President Bush and not 2000 rival Al Gore was in office during 9/11 and Kasich praising Colin Powell while admitting he did not ultimately believe the decision to invade Iraq was the right one.
Cruz criticized the Iran deal, a common refrain from the Senator:
That’s why I’ve promised to rip the Iranian nuclear deal to shreds on day one. #GOPDebate t.co/XJbM7WYAAg
Kasich talked about the “opportunity to lead” in the Arab world:
.@JohnKasich says the U.S. needs to be more aggressive in the Middle East. Do you agree? #GOPDebate
Rubio outlined his own foreign policy priorities:
These are the top national security priorities Marco would address as president: #GOPDebate
Economic Policy
Trump promised to save Social Security by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.
Cruz defended his value-added tax proposal, saying it would drastically simplify the IRS:
I’ve proposed a simple flat tax of 10% that will let Americans file their taxes on a postcard: t.co/L5m9XTho5j #GOPDebate
Rubio advocated a “pro-family” tax plan, calling families the driving force behind the economy.
Bush and Kasich exchanged harsh criticisms about the health care approaches each took as governor:
We should be fighting Obamacare & repealing & replacing it – not expanding it @johnkasich. #GOPDebate t.co/LR7qxIux19
What’s the truth, Jeb? #GOPDebate
Cruz pointed out the worst victims of the struggling economy:
.@tedcruz: “The people who have been hurt the most in the Obama economy have been the most vulnerable.” #GOPDebate
He claimed that the answer was to eliminate regulations to allow economic growth and reform welfare to encourage productivity.
Rubio echoed his concerns, and proposed a similar approach, later in the debate:
Poverty is free enterprise not reaching people, says Rubio in #GOPdebate. Updates here: t.co/IOexSPlVCu
Immigration/Outsourcing
Trump reiterated his belief in building a wall at Mexicos defense, while Rubio defended the idea of a path to citizenship for undocumented residents.
Cruz criticized Rubio, including a jab at an interview on Univision.
Conservatism
When Dickerson asked about Trumps flexibility on his positions:
“I feel I’m a common sense conservative.” – @RealDonaldTrump: t.co/SBR0nd1skw #GOPdebate
He defended his use of eminent domain, and criticized Jeb Bush for his inconsistency in condemning Trump’s use of the maneuver while his brother used the same as Governor of Texas.
Each Other
Rubio and Cruz had a memorable exchange on immigration ending with this line:
When the topic turned to conservatism, the gloves came off between Trump and Cruz:
.@RealDonaldTrump and @TedCruz have had harsh words for each other throughout the #GOPdebate t.co/yFsDhihJK8
Trump, on Cruz: “Nasty guy. Now I know why he doesn’t have one endorsement from any of his colleagues.” #GOPDebate t.co/9DjeVkojAn
Kasich lamented the incivility:
.@JohnKasich asked his fellow GOP contenders to tone down their fights. #GOPDebate
Carson tried to set himself apart with a similar approach:
Carson: People have told me to scream, jump up and down like Trump-Cruz fight. “Is that really what you want? I don’t think so.” #GOPDebate
Closing Statements
Kasich emphasized unity and his goal of empowering all Americans:
Carson invoked the forecasts that the current generation would be the first not to economically outperform their parents, and offered his candidacy as a turnaround:
Bush cited his experience to deal with the “unprecedented challenge” that the next President would see:
.@JebBush: “I believe I will have a steady hand as Commander in Chief and President of the United States.” #GOPDebate
Rubio called to mind the struggle of Americans and what he termed a collapse of America’s strength and values, then pledged to be the “turning point:”
.@marcorubio: “All the things that once held our families together are now under constant assault.” #GOPDebate
Cruz played up his conservative credentials and willingness to stand up for Republican ideals:
.@tedcruz: “Our country hangs in the balance. Do you want another Washington deal maker or do you want a proven conservative?” #GOPDebate
Trump lamented the lack of “winning” in current American policy, then said he would be “working for you, not working for anybody else.”
