So why was Donald Trump missing from the final Republican debate?

Fox host Megyn Kelly, who hosted the debate, enraged Trump when she called him out at a previous debate for referring to women as “fat pigs, dogs, slobs… and disgusting animals”. GOP candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum won Iowa in the 2008 and 2012 election cycles but failed to claim the nomination. Marco Rubio, who are running behind Trump in the polls, clashed heatedly as they vied to be the toughest guy on stage in fighting terrorism and enforcing immigration laws. Ted Cruz looks on during the Fox Business Network Republican presidential candidates debate in North Charleston, S.C., January 14, 2016. One in five acknowledged concern about Cruz’s eligibility, given that he was born in Canada – another line of attack from Trump.

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.

The debate opened with a question from moderator Kelly asking Cruz to address Trump, “the elephant not in the room”.

At the debate, Trump’s rivals mocked his brash style and criticized his decision to sit out the debate. And Ben [Carson], you’re a terrible surgeon. “Just 35 percent would choose Trump in a one-on-one contest with Cruz”. “He was a little teddy bear to me”, joked former Florida governor, Jeb Bush. St. Edward’s University political science professor Brian Smith said missing the debate hasn’t done any harm for Trump.

And if you don’t believe me, watch Colbert’s full takedown of The Donald below. “When you’re treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights”, Mr Trump said.

“I have to go a step further and say that Fox has been extremely nice in the last number of hours”, he added.

Stephen Colbert has been observing the doughy billionaire for long enough to understand this very simple fact, which is why he held a “debate” on The Late Show Thursday night that pitted Donald Trump against…

The Des Moines Register, whose poll is generally regarded as the gold standard of Iowa polling, has released its final results before Monday’s Iowa caucuses.