Ron DeSantis made his arguments without taking the bait of moderators or rivals. Nikki Haley slammed Vivek Ramaswamy, who slammed the TV anchors and the entire Republican Party.
Tim Scott offered a more optimistic vision of America, while Chris Christie treated his opponents with weary contempt.
Time is running out for the five Republican candidates who took the debate stage in Miami on Wednesday evening.
But you wouldn’t have known that from their two-hour televised encounter. They all stuck stubbornly to the strategies that kept them drifting, fighting for a distant second place behind Donald Trump, who had cheered along with a crowd of enthusiastic fans at a rally next door.
One of their main arguments that they were more electable than the four-time impeached former president evaporated over the weekend in a New York Times/Siena College poll that showed Trump defeating President Joe Biden in five of six swing states.
Republican presidential candidates (LR) include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy and US Senator Tim Scott
While the five other candidates prevailed in the third Republican debate in Miami, former President Donald Trump cheered with a crowd of enthusiastic fans a few miles away
But DeSantis stuck to the same argument that he was more likely to win.
“He said Republicans are tired of winning,” DeSantis said, before addressing Tuesday’s disappointing election results. “Well, we saw last night — I’m tired of the Republicans losing.”
He has done enough to his supporters to show that he is the only alternative to Trump.
“He did what he had to do and more,” said donor Dan Eberhart, who added that the evening must be taken into account along with Gov. Kim Reynolds’ recent support in Iowa to show the upward trend.
Trump and his campaign described the debate as a “sub-point” of his rally that evening. At other times, they referred to the contest as an audition for vice president or “first loser.”
But despite all the barbs against DeSantis and Haley, who are fighting for second place in the primary, he was careful not to hit back too hard.
“Everyone wants to talk about President Trump.” “I can tell you that I think he was the right president at the right time,” Haley said when asked why she would be a better president than Trump. “I don’t think he’s the right president now.”
The candidates don’t want to anger Trump supporters. Even if it leads to them attacking each other.
Haley reserved her toughest hits for Ramaswamy, who is currently in the low single digits and has no chance of winning the nomination.
“You’re scum,” she retorted when he tried to engage her daughter in an argument over TikTok.
Haley and Ramaswamy provided the biggest spark of the night when she called him “scum” for involving her daughter in an argument over TikTok
The candidates lined up against the backdrop of the White House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday evening
It was louder on the street where Trump was at Ted Hendricks Stadium
Without Trump on stage, it is difficult to see how the debate will determine the overall ranking. This is exactly why Trump later found himself on a different stage.
Jenni Lim, co-founder of Republican Women for Progress, said Haley has demonstrated her foreign policy skills; Ramaswamy seemed “unhinged”; While it was unclear what Scott and Christie were even doing on stage.
“Honestly, I don’t think it changed anything,” she said. “Trump continues to prove the truth of his claim that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in broad daylight and still win the vote.”
The Trump campaign couldn’t contain its joy.
“Unless you’re a fan of cheap imitations or out-of-tune tribute bands, tonight’s GOP debate was a complete waste of time and money,” said senior adviser Chris Lacivita.
The Trump team quickly announced that he would not be attending the fourth debate in Alabama.
This time his campaign paid little attention to the debate. They didn’t host a dinner for journalists or send supporters like they did at the first debate in Milwaukee. Instead, people like Kari Lake, an ally, showed up at his rally.
Even the press room in Miami was quieter than previous debates, which drew fewer and fewer television viewers. The second had fewer than ten million viewers.
Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy spoke forcefully, attacking the debate organizer, the Republican National Committee and the NBC anchors
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks with U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and his mother Frances after the conclusion of the third Republican debate
And if the campaigns have shown little interest in changing things, it might be because they have concluded that the only thing that could change the overall calculus is out of their hands.
The weekend’s New York Times/Siena College poll showed Trump comfortably leading Biden in five of six swing states that will likely decide the 2024 election.
These numbers come with a caveat.
If the former president is convicted and sentenced, as could easily happen next year in Washington, D.C., scheduled for Jan. 6, some voters will think twice.
The poll found that about 6 percent of voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would move to vote for Biden. That’s enough to swing the election back to the Democratic nominee and provide a lifeline to the five candidates vying for second place.
With the first Republican nominating contest in Iowa less than 60 days away, Trump’s rivals may not have many chances to extend his 30-plus point lead.
Especially when the big beast in the group stays away from their standard events.
“It’s a little like watching the Kansas City Chiefs without Patrick Mahomes,” said one Republican congressional staffer, using a football metaphor to explain why he wouldn’t be watching the debate.