Republicans Trump, Cruz seize spotlight at USA presidential debate

“We’re not talking about religion, we’re talking about security”.

Rubio, who spent part of his childhood here, has sparred with Cruz on foreign policy, blasting the senator as too isolationist. He said that very simply because he has failed in this campaign.

Each emphasized the need to make national security the top priority of the White House, though Kentucky Sen.

“There are millions of peaceful Muslims across the world, in countries like India, where there is not the problems we are seeing in nations that… have territory controlled by al Qaida or ISIS”, said Cruz.

Senator Rand Paul pointed out both actions would put the USA in contravention of various global agreements. Cruz reiterated his position that the USA needs to use “overwhelming air power to utterly and completely destroy ISIS”.

Trump called for a ban on Muslim travel to the U.S. five days after the California killing spree, perpetrated by a married couple who were inspired by the ISIL, investigators have found. All the other Republican candidates, with the exception of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, have criticized his proposal.

Mr Rubio and Mr Cruz had several heated exchanges on their policies and past history of dealing with immigration reform.

As far as the big question of Trump running on an independent ticket, he said, “I am totally committed to the Republican Party”.

With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, Tuesday’s debate had nine leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination trying to prove who could keep Americans safe from jihadi terrorists and porous borders.

Jones also predicted that if the race comes down to Cruz and Rubio, Cruz would prevail since he’s “beating him in Iowa and beating him in the ground game” along with “on the stage tonight”.

“Donald, you know, is great at the one-liners, but he’s a chaos candidate”.

Later on in the debate, Bush, who told Trump that he wouldn’t be able to insult his way into the presidency, turned the tables on Trump accusing him of not being tough enough.

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson refused to weigh in on surveillance. Trump said Cruz has a “wonderful temperament”, reaching over to give him a little pat on the back. He’s disingenuous. Trump continued to direct most of his fire toward Bush. “Anti-American dictators like Assad… if they go, I won’t shed a tear”, Rubio said.

“Radical Islamic terrorism came into effect even more so than it has been in the past”.

“Are you talking or am I talking?”

“I think it’s very sad that CNN leads Jeb Bush by starting all the questions with ‘Mr”.

“If you’re going to close the Internet … that entails getting rid of the First Amendment”, said Paul. “This is not a serious proposal”, Bush said.

“If you’re an American citizen and you join up with ISIS, we’re not going to read your Miranda rights”, Rubio replied.

Rubio said. “And the answer better not be, ‘Because we didn’t have access to records or information that would have allowed us to identify these killers before they attack'”. “I don’t believe that’s Mr. Trump – and I know it’s not [Democrat] Hillary Clinton”. He’s delivered strong performances at previous forums and has worked to build expertise on foreign policy – a premier topic at the Las Vegas showdown. I have beaten breast cancer.