Trump won’t rule out an independent White House bid at Republican debate

He was immediately criticised by Rand Paul for being the only candidate who refused to rule out a third-party run against any eventual Republican victor. He later stuffed a bunch of Trump swag in his pockets on his way out.

“We’re proud to have a deep bench of candidates, and we’re grateful that tonight’s debates were the most inclusive in the history of either party”, party chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement, comparing it to the much more limited Democratic party field. I am discussing it with everybody. “We don’t win anymore”.

“I will not make the pledge at this time“, the improbable frontrunner said, to loud boos and jeers from the crowd. This wasn’t the last time Trump’s donations were brought up-Trump himself boasted of donating to Hillary Clinton’s charitable causes, claiming that he scored her attendance at his 2005 wedding in return.

“He’s already hedging his bets because he’s used to buying politicians of all stripes”, Mr Paul said.

Trump retorted that he’d given money to Paul, too. He said he gave to one of her foundations, and that he donated to politicians for business favors, which demonstrates the political system was “broken”. Republican strategist Alex Castellanos said she and Jindal turned in good performances and “made you wonder why they weren’t at the big-boy table”.

Does Bush understand concerns about dynastic politics? That’s fine. I’m proud of my dad and certainly proud of my brother.

“Maybe the bar is higher for me“. That’s fine. I’ve got a record in Florida.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich was the lone contestant to voice support for treating gay Americans “with respect” and to say expanding drug treatment was fiscally conservative because it reduced long-term costs. “That’s been consistently proven”, he said.

He also stood by his earlier remark that immigrants breaking the law to come to the United States did so as an “act of love”.

“The great majority of people coming here have no other option”, Bush said.

Rick Santorum – were in search of a breakthrough moment that would give themselves some much-needed momentum.

The outspoken real estate mogul was questioned about his controversial comments on women he dislikes on Twitter.

On immigration, one of the main topics of the night, Bush defended his call for a path to legal status for some of the people living in the U.S. illegally, an unpopular position among some Republican voters who equate legal status with amnesty.

Fiorina said Trump has tapped into Republican voters’ frustration with Washington but that as a Republican presidential candidate he had flip-flopped on illegal immigration, health care and abortion. “That’s whats happening, whether you like it or not”. And you know who else has? “Listen, senator, you know, when you’re sitting in a subcommittee, just blowing hot air about this, you can say things like that”.

Paul: “You fundamentally misunderstand the Bill of Rights…I don’t trust President Obama with our records”.

Americans have flocked to Trump not because they like him personally- I suspect in this age of White House promoted economic jealousy and class warfare, a sizable portion of the country does not- but they like to see a potential president with swagger and guts, especially as the eight year apology tour that has been the Obama Administration draws near its final lap. He said Thursday border patrol agents agreed with his comments about Mexicans, and he took credit for immigration being an issue in the2016 campaign. “And for the very few that don’t, that there are consequences to show that we treat everyone the same here in America”, he said.