Highlights from the last GOP presidential debate of 2015

I think I’ll do very well, if I’m so fortunate to be chosen.

Bush has fallen precipitously since the summer, despite entering the Republican race with a fundraising advantage and the status as the presumptive nominee.

The three strongly criticized Donald Trump.

Despite widely being seen as a poor performer during the five Republican debates, Trump has opened up a massive lead in most national opinion polls.

Trump, 69, shot back: “Oh yeah, and you’re a tough guy, Bush”, noting Bush’s falling standing in the polls and his resulting move down toward the end of the debate stage. This proposal was slammed from numerous other candidates last night.

Tuesday night’s debate was the first for Republicans since the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, which heightened fears of terrorism in the United States. Front-runner Donald Trump stood firmly behind his provocative call for banning Muslims from the United States, saying, “We are not talking about religion, we are talking about security”.

The ad concludes with Bush arguing that he is the better candidate for president.

“People like what I say”. The ad then cuts to Trump in a CNN interview advocating for the U.S.to keep a distance from the conflict in Syria and let ISIS and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fight for supremacy. But during the debate, most candidates held back from attacking it.

“The playing field is very fluid”, he said, adding that Florida Senator Marco Rubio continued to deliver strong performances.

“Fortunately, Donald, you and your supporters no longer look like what America actually is today”.

“We are not talking about isolation; we’re talking about security”, he said. “Their yelling to us about what they want our priorities to be”.

For much of the night, Cruz engaged Florida Senator Marco Rubio in lengthy debates over issues including what to do about Islamic State, domestic surveillance programs, and immigration.

Protesters at the hotel in Las Vegas, where the debate took place, said the candidates should pay attention to immigration reform, increasing wages, providing jobs and ending police abuses.

Rubio accused Cruz of supporting “legalizing people who are in this country illegally”, a “500% increase in H1-B visas” (the skilled guest worker temporary visas), and “doubling the number of green cards”. “That would change when militants across the globe see that when you join ISIS you are giving up your life”.

The debate’s focus on national security was a detriment for retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has struggled on complex worldwide matters.

As for the “who’s telling the truth about “legalization” battle” between Cruz and Rubio, Alexander says Rubio may be at a disadvantage.

When asked by conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt if he was ready to commit to running as a Republican and abide by the decision of the primary voters, he said, “I really am, I’ll be honest, I really am”.