Last night’s Republican presidential debate was CNN’s highest-rated program

If the debate marks the start of his decline in the polls, it will be good news for the Republican contest and for American politics more generally.

Those that tuned in saw Donald Trump come under attack from all sides and he was on the receiving end during an exchange with Ms Fiorina. Nevada often sees a large draw from libertarians, and that would appear to benefit Rand Paul. Throughout the summer, as Trump enjoyed an nearly unchallenged run at the top of presidential polls, the Republican establishment waited for a more traditional candidate to cut into the outspoken real estate mogul’s lead.That candidate never materialized. When Mr. Trump sharply criticized his record in Wisconsin, Mr. Walker hit back: “Just because he says it doesn’t make it true”.

DT: “I think she’s got a lovely face and I think she’s a lovely woman”.

The next closest candidate, another non-politician, retired neurosurgeon Dr Ben Carson, is polling at about 20 per cent while all other candidates, including Jeb Bush, who was expected to emerge as a frontrunner, are rating below 10 per cent among Republican voters. “How she responded to what Trump said about her”, said Lesley Baugher, who is visiting Indianapolis from Kansas City.

Chris Christie said Mrs. Clinton should be prosecuted for using a private email server.

But Trump did get a show of support from Jeb Bush. After Trump claimed that “there are few people anywhere” who would know the names of certain foreign leaders, Florida Senator Rubio clearly disagreed. Trump’s jab was a reference to his frequent critique that Bush is a “low energy” candidate. “I thought it was a very classy response to what he had said earlier”, said Dr. Laura Merrifield-Albright, political science teacher at the University of Indianapolis. “I said, “you’re not supposed to be up here, you have 1% [of the vote] and we have 11 people up here”… and after that he behaved very nicely, which actually I was surprised at”.

Mr Switzer says the establishment or power brokers within the Republican movement may unite to knock Mr Trump out of the running.

Although crowded, the debate wasn’t all tough talk.

Marco Rubio made light of California’s drought – and his awkward 2013 speech during Obama’s State of the Union Address – by bringing out his water bottle.

“I am a Republican in New Jersey…”

The candidates from both debates took a moment to pose in front of President Ronald Reagan’s plane, hoping to follow his footsteps.