Republicans debate without Trump, who taunts from afar

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz generated the most buzz of candidates actually at the debate, according to an analysis by social-media marketer Spredfast.

Tyler DeHaan (C) and Jeff Angelo (R) watch the Republican presidential debate at Mickey’s Irish Pub on January 28, 2016 in Waukee, Iowa.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush remarked, “I kind of miss Donald Trump”.

The Fox News Republican debate without front-runner Donald Trump received the second-lowest viewership ratings of the seven such televised encounters among Republicans so far this election cycle, CNN reported on Friday.

Even with such a ratings loss, Thursday’s debate drew the second-largest audience in Fox News history, after August’s first debate. Eleven million watched the Fox Business Network debate, a network that doesn’t have as wide a reach as Fox News.

Trump boycotted the event after Fox News refused to yield to his demand that network anchor Megyn Kelly be replaced as a moderator. As Trump relayed the story to a packed hotel ballroom, he told Fox to “give $5 million dollars, make a donation, $5 million dollars for the vets and I ” ll come and do your debate”.

One factor that confounds an easy “viewers didn’t care about Trump” conclusion: By dramatically pulling out, Trump nearly certainly increased viewer awareness of the debate running up to last night.

‘I’m a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly, ‘ Cruz said.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks as the crowd applauds during a campaign stop at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua, N.H., on Friday.

“We have thousands of people outside trying to get in”.

Trump, however, dominated on Google. As a response, Fox News said that the network would not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason. A source close to the situation said there was an acquiescence to Trump, and Fox’s statement notes they “acknowledged his concerns”.

While speaking to Kelly on air after the debate, Cruz said: “Well, you know, you were joking just before we went on air that it was sort of like Voldemort, ‘He Who Must Not Be Named'”.

“I didn’t want to be here, I have to be honest”, Trump said at the rally at that was held at Drake University, only a short drive from the hall where the debate was held.