Style Over Substance As Republican Primary Voters Say Trump Won GOP Debate

Tuesday’s Fox Business Network/Wall Street Journal debate featured an extended exchange over immigration in which Trump repeated his calls for a border wall and expanded deportations, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush decried his proposals as inhumane, unworkable and politically counterproductive.

More dividing lines emerged over trade, intervention in Syria, how to handle Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the affordability of major tax cuts; whether the tax system should be flat or graduated; whether the US can afford higher military spending.

“People were interrupting each other all night long and, suddenly, when I make a point, Mr. Trump has to say, ‘Wonder why she keeps interrupting?’ But it’s typical of him”, Fiorina said.

But this time it wasn’t just Fox Business Network, which carried the latest candidate standoff, that set a record.

“And that @CNBC is how you run a debate”, the Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus tweeted after it wrapped up.

The reality is there won’t be another Republican debate for another month which probably makes a lot of Americans happy and the first votes, the first votes that actually count aren’t cast until the beginning of February, that’s the Iowa caucuses and then a week later the New Hampshire primaries. And with the prime-time debate stage pared from 10 candidates and 90-second answers, the fourth round of GOP debates was more policy-oriented and focused than the freewheeling early rounds.

“People are thinking in terms of Cruz and Rubio”. “I don’t have to hear from this man, believe me”, he said of Mr Kasich, drawing boos from the crowd.

I will say it again: the GOP won the debate. One exception came when Cavuto brought up recent accusations that Carson had embellished his life story.

Carson rejected those claims, but neither he nor the panel delved into specifics.

Mr Carson lashed out at his critics and said he did not like being “lied about”. We need a strong foreign policy because projecting weakness is the most expensive option of all.

It was the least-watched debate yet, which isn’t a big surprise.

Donald Trump insisted on his plan to round up and deport the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants living in America, whatever the social and economic cost.

FBN’s stream of the debate peaked with more than 1.4 million concurrent streams, according to Akamai, topping even the 2015 Super Bowl, which averaged 1.3 million concurrent streams. It’s nice to see a few differences in the party.

He added that nominating a clear “amnesty” opponent was essential to Republican chances for victory, since conservatives won’t turn out for a candidate they view as weak on the issue.

Johnson has not endorsed anyone. “I felt like I do what I always do”.