Rubio braces for attacks in debate, Trump returning to stage

Ohio Governor John Kasich, who will also participate in Saturday’s debate, argued that Republicans won’t win elections by bashing each other.

Marco Rubio, a first-term senator on the rise in the presidential race, faced a barrage of attacks in Saturday night’s Republican debate, with rivals vigorously challenging his readiness to be president and the depth of his expertise as they sought to salvage their own White House hopes.

“The Cruz campaign’s actions the night of the Iowa caucuses had nothing to do with CNN’s reporting”, the statement said.

While Trump has a lead in New Hampshire of about 14 percentage points over Rubio in a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls in the state, tonight’s encounter poses a risk if the former reality television show star doesn’t regain some of the swagger he lost in Iowa, said Kevin Madden, an adviser to Republican Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign.

Cruz, the victor of the Iowa caucuses, is among those who have spent time attacking Rubio, questioning his conservative credentials on such issues as immigration.

He said debate viewers will see a clear difference between those who are prepared to lead and those who are just continuing to talk.

“I like Marco Rubio and he’s a smart person and a good guy, but he simply does not have the experience to be president of the United States and make these decisions”, said Christie.

A clearly rattled Rubio responded by delivering the same line about Obama not once, but twice. “The drive-by attack at the beginning with incorrect and incomplete information and then the memorized 25-second speech”. “There it is, everybody”. The real estate mogul skipped the final debate before the Iowa caucuses, but has committed to more traditional campaign activities in the days before New Hampshire’s primary. Both former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson are at 3 percent.

Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also went after Rubio.

During a town hall in Henniker on Thursday, Christie mercilessly mocked the fact that one of Rubio’s newest surrogates, former Pennsylvania Sen.

“The question was, did he fight for his legislation”. Is it too little too late to rescue his campaign? A CNN/WMUR poll released on Friday, meanwhile, found Rubio in second place in New Hampshire.

Trump, who placed behind rival Cruz, has accused the Texas senator of voter fraud. He took aim at Democrats – President Barack Obama, and presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders – as not having the temperament to be an effective president. Establishment Republican pundit Matt Dowd says Trump has the most to lose. Trump said those booing were Bush’s campaign donors and special interests. After the billionaire real-estate developer defended the use of eminent domain as a necessary tool of government, Bush said the businessman was “downright wrong” when his company tried to use eminent domain to build an Atlantic City casino.

“How tough it is to take property from an elderly woman?” replied Bush. But it’s no wonder he is packing in as many events here as he can, pleading with voters finally to pick him from a still chaotic, unpredictable field.

“By the way, I worked for his brother and I love his dad, so excuse me for the mess-up because I think this is a legacy of principled leadership and that’s exactly what Jeb Bush would bring to the White House”, Ridge said. Cruz demurred, saying that was for the voters to decide.

Each is desperate for a breakout moment that could help him win over New Hampshire voters who have historically made up their minds at the last minute.