GOP debate recap: Who won and who lost in second Republican showdown

Debate descends into chaos as moderators lose control over candidates far behind Trump in the polls

Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis call out Trump for not showing up to debate

The second Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, descended into chaos on several occasions with candidates speaking over each other.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum all took part.

Much like in the first debate, Mr Ramaswamy quickly became the focus of the attacks of the other candidates on Wednesday night as he was slammed for his voting record and alleged business connections to China.

Several candidates called out former President Donald Trump for not attending the showdown to instead speaking to auto workers in Michigan, where he said none of those running would be his VP candidate.

Several shouting matches broke out during the roughly two hours of debating on Fox Business as the moderators lost control while the candidates appeared desperate to get their lines in.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called out Mr Trump directly to the camera and was later mocked for calling him “Donald Duck” for ducking the debate.

Key Points

• Winners and losers of the second Republican debate
• Awkward laughter as Mike Pence makes sex joke at Republican debate
• DeSantis says he rejects notion ‘pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats'
• Chris Christie mocked for ‘Donald Duck’ nickname for Trump: ‘New levels of cringe’
• GOP debate turns chaotic as candidates turn on Ramaswamy over China, voting and border

[28 September 2023 09:00 · Eric Garcia]

Winner: Nikki Haley

The former South Carolina governor has surged in the polls in recent months. That has given her the opportunity to earn money from donors and support from activists, even though she still faces a long shot to bear Mr Trump (she still trails him even in her home state).

And indeed, throughout much of the debate, she did not engage in the mudslinging from the men on the stage. Similarly, she took many well-earned swipes against Mr Ramaswamy, whom she seems to have a special level of contempt for. Specifically, she told the political neophyte, “Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber.”

As Mr DeSantis’s poll numbers continue to decline, anti-Trump Republicans–or at least Republicans who think he would lose the presidency–will inevitably look for a new hope and this performance will certainly inspire confidence.

[28 September 2023 09:46 · Oliver O'Connell]

DeSantis hits out at Trump for not attending GOP debate: ‘Missing in action’

Florida governor Ron DeSantis tore into Donald Trump on Wednesday for skipping the second 2024 Republican presidential debate, complaining the former president was “missing in action.”

“Where’s Joe Biden,” he said. “He’s completely missing in action from leadership. You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight.”

“He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt,” he added. “That set the stage for the inflation we have now.”

The Florida governor wasn’t the only one going after Mr Trump, who made a campaign stop on Wednesday at a non-union auto plant in Michigan instead of attending the second Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

“Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won’t show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us are up here to answer,” former New Jersey governor Chris Christie said on the debate stage. “He put $7 trillion on the debt, he should be in this room to answer those questions for the people you talk about who are suffering.”

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[28 September 2023 10:15 · Oliver O'Connell]

Neutral: Vivek Ramaswamy

Last go-around, the businessman-turned-presidential-candidate faced the business end of most attacks from his opponents. That earned him a few weeks of attention before he slowly started to fade into the background.

But – to borrow from the rapper whose songs he likes to cover – Wednesday meant it was back to reality. He faced occasional attacks from former vice president Mike Pence and Ms Haley, which once again highlighted his lack of experience and grasp on policy.

At the same time, he did what he mastered in the last debate: planting himself deeply beneath the skin of his opponents. He got the better of Mr Scott in their exchange when he said “Thank you for speaking while I’m interrupting.”

Still, this performance will likely not raise or decrease his standing.

[28 September 2023 10:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

Loser: Mike Pence

Most Republican primary voters will likely never forgive the former vice president for his refusal to go along with Mr Trump’s scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

That being said, throughout the night, he did himself no favours, often coming off as stiff and stilted. In response to Mr Christie’s nasty quip about Mr Biden and his wife, Mr Pence said, “I’ve got to admit I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years. Full disclosure.” It elicited nervous laughter.

In addition, he likely hoped for soaring applause when he called for an expedited death penalty for mass shooters, but got zero response. Furthermore, when he tried to shift the question from moderator Dana Perino about Obamacare to his preferred topic, she asked bluntly, “Does that mean Obamacare is here to stay?”

[28 September 2023 11:15 · Oliver O'Connell]

Honorary winners: Ilia Calderón and Dana Perino

Throughout the debate, Ms Perino, a former White House press secretary in the George W Bush White House, not only asked some of the most pointed questions, but also helped wrangle the multi-candidate field back to the main topics. When Gov Doug Burgum wanted to blurt out a response when it wasn’t his turn, she said simply “No, Gov Haley.”

Similarly, fellow moderator Ilia Calderón, a journalist for Univision, asked some of the most incisive questions about Florida’s curriculum around slavery, which elicited Mr Scott’s best response. She also pointedly that “73 per cent of Latinos think Republicans don’t think you care about them,” which forced the GOP to reckon with the fact they will need to win over a large swath of these voters should they want to take back the White House.

[28 September 2023 11:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

GOP debate turns chaotic as candidates turn on Ramaswamy over China, voting and border

The knives were out for Vivek Ramaswamy at the second Republican presidential debate.

Wednesday evening’s contest descended into chaos at one point, with the businessman at the centre of a barrage of attacks coming from all directions. His rivals, apparently responding to his fiery and attention-grabbing performance at the first contest, were ready with prepared attacks. Mr Ramaswamy never saw it coming.

In the span of just a few minutes, the Republican hopeful endured deep cuts from at least three candidates. It was begun byTim Scott, who looked at the cameras as his rivals spoke at each other and quipped: “We should have a debate between Vivek and Vivek” — a reference to his rival’s reversals on the issue of doing business with China and his past criticism of Donald Trump.

There was Mike Pence, waiting for a quiet moment as always, before inserting a jab aimed at Mr Ramaswamy, derisively asserting that Mr Ramaswamy began voting in presidential elections in 2018, around the time his businesses pulled out of China.

Minutes later, Nikki Haley took it even lower. Addressing her competitor, she insisted that she felt “dumber” every time Mr Ramaswamy addressed the crowd.

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[28 September 2023 12:15 · Oliver O'Connell]

Watch: Newsom schools DeSantis on crime in Florida

[28 September 2023 12:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

Trump attacks ‘bum’ Chris Christie over ‘boring’ GOP debate

Donald Trump took aim at former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, his one-time ally now major foe and Republican rival for the 2024 nomination, following the party’s second primary debate on Wednesday night.

Mr Christie had hit out at Mr Trump for skipping the debate – avoiding answering questions on his record as president.

The former president didn’t take kindly to the criticism levelled against him and attacked the former New Jersey governor on Truth Social going after his record as a Republican governor of a blue state.

[28 September 2023 13:15 · Martha McHardy]

GOP candidates refuse to answer who should be voted ‘off the island’

The Republican candidates faced a Survivor-style elimination ceremony on Wednesday night during the second GOP primary debate.

The seven candidates were asked by moderator Dana Perino who should sacrifice themselves in order to defeat the party’s current frontrunner Donald Trump – but each and every one of them refused to answer.

“So which one of you onstage tonight should be voted off the island?” Ms Perino asked, asking the candidates to each name the individual they most think should drop out of the race.

Leading the charge, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dismissed the question outright.

Continued...

[28 September 2023 13:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

AOC blasts GOP over ‘disgusting and misogynistic’ sex joke about first lady

Member of Congress Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday slammed Republicans for taking misogynist potshots at Jill Biden at the second of the GOP’s primary debates.

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie took a swipe at the first lady’s status as a teacher at the debate, arguing that the public school system was run by “teachers unions in this country” instead of the public.

Dr Biden is a member of the National Education Association and vowed to continue her work as a community college professor.

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