Christie mocks Trump for skipping last debate

Bush, Christie, and Kasich have to draw contrasts among themselves while trying to peel away support from Rubio, who is gaining momentum nationally and in New Hampshire.

Which Donald Trump will show up?

Republican presidential hopefuls are gathering Saturday night for their last debate before the New Hampshire primary.

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Trump has since said that skipping the debate might have cost him support in Iowa. Or the sore loser Trump who, the day after, claimed that Ted Cruz “illegally” stole the Iowa caucuses?

The ABC debate for GOP candidates is at Saint Anselm College, in Manchester.

Next come three current or former governors, son and brother of two U.S. presidents Jeb Bush, Ohio’s John Kasich and New Jersey’s Chris Christie, whose presidential dreams could be made or broken on Tuesday.

A registered Republican, he said he was drawn by both Bush and Rubio, but had braved the snow to listen to Bush in Concord late Friday. His aides emphasized that he is not suspending his campaign – rather, just briefly going home to “get a fresh set of clothes”.

Carson said Saturday that the actions of Cruz’s campaign were an example of “Washington ethics” as he tried to portray himself and not Cruz as a true outsider candidate.

Clinton narrowly defeated primary challenger Bernie Sanders in Iowa but trails the Vermont senator by roughly 17 percentage points in New Hampshire.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz speaks to a town hall meeting in Columbia, South Carolina on January 15, 2016Even if Trump does win the Republican vote in New Hampshire, the eyes of the party establishment, appalled by his insults, incendiary rhetoric and lack of political experience, will focus on his rivals.

Trump is back on stage after boycotting the last GOP debate over a dispute with Fox News.

Kasich, Bush, and Christie are on the line on Tuesday. In his speeches, Christie tells voters he’ll “rest comfortably” with whatever choice voters make if they make a decision with the Ashcrafts in mind. Bush, who has been bullied by Trump throughout the campaign, appeared to get the better of the real estate mogul in an exchange about eminent domain, a practice by which a government or private entity can appropriate land or property in return for payment of compensation.

Not on stage will be businesswoman Carly Fiorina, who failed to meet host network ABC’s requirements to qualify.