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Republicans For 2016 - Page 5

Failed to Qualify

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee have failed to qualify for the prime time Republican debate on November 10, making them the first top-tier candidates to be relegated to the undercard round, Fox Business Network announced Thursday. Ref. CNN

Republicans

The candidates for the Republican nomination for the presidency gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to discuss economic issues.

The first debate of the evening, which featured Gov. Chris Christie, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, Gov. Bobby Jindal, and former Sen. Rick Santorum, focused on tax plans and cutting government spending. A feisty Jindal went after his opponents on stage about cutting government spending. Christie, whose low poll numbers dropped him to the undercard debate, deflected attacks by repeatedly mentioning what he said would be the dangers of electing Democrat Hillary Clinton to the presidency.

The second debate of the evening included bickering over military spending, a heated debate about the motivations of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, questions about the feasibility of deporting millions of undocumented immigrants -- and one candidate saying he didn't want anyone lying about him.

Businesswoman Carly Fiorina reiterated her concern about the complexity of the U.S. Tax code and pledged again to simplify it to just three pages.

Sens. Rand Paul and Marco Rubio sparred about whether Rubio's tax plan for families and plan to increase spending on the U.S. Military actually qualify as conservative ideas. Paul's response: "Not very."

Candidates were split over how to deal with Putin's increased involvement in the Syrian crisis, with several saying it's unwise for the U.S. To allow Russia to have such a strong hand in the region.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also attacked businessman Donald Trump on his plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, which the two governors called unrealistic.

Bush had been under pressure to improve on his flat performances in earlier debates and spoke more frequently and aggressively during the discussion.

Dr. Ben Carson, who has been beset in recent days by questions about whether anecdotes in his memoirs are true, said he welcomed vetting but that he didn't like "Being lied about." Ref. CNN

Republicans For 2016 History & Civil Business Politics

Donald Trump is heading into 2016 with a commanding lead over the GOP field at 39% support, more than double that of his closest competitor, Ted Cruz, a new CNN/ORC poll Wednesday has found.

Cruz picked up 2 percentage points and now sits at 18%, while both Ben Carson and Marco Rubio have lost ground.

Republicans are coming around to the idea that the GOP has its best shot for winning the presidency by nominating the New York real estate mogul. Overall, 46% of voters say the Republicans have a better chance to win in 2016 with Trump as the party's nominee, while 50% say the GOP has a better chance with someone else at the top of the ticket. In August, just 38% said Trump brought the Republicans their best chance. Ref. CNN

Page 5 Republicans

Year ends with Trump atop GOP Power Rankings

Donald Trump remains on top of the GOP field as the year ends, according to our weekly survey of about 30 political experts gauging the strength of the Republican candidates. In the 18th week of our survey, with just under five weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush round out the top five. Trump has taken first place in all but five weeks of the survey. Ref. USAToday

Republicans

GOP Power Rankings: Trump and Cruz dominate, Carson and Fiorina fade

2016 begins with some outsider candidates finding themselves out of the picture in USA TODAY's GOP Power Rankings. Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina tallied their worst scores since we started our weekly survey of political experts gauging the strength of the Republican field. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are 1-2 again this week. Ref. USAToday

Republicans For 2016

GOP candidates Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Chris Christie and John Kasich met for their final debate before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

Rubio struggled to fend off a string of searing attacks from Christie.

"Marco, the thing is this," Christie said. "When you're president of the United States, when you're a governor of a state, the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesn't solve one problem for one person." Ref. CNN.

Republicans 2016 - Page 5

The GOP presidential debate that began with a moment of silence in memory of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia quickly got loud and raucous, with fireworks between the candidates and between candidates and the crowd.

The six Republican candidates held their final debate before the South Carolina primary, and the late justice - a conservative champion - dominated the early part of the event.

GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who called Scalia's death a "Tremendous blow to conservatism," said he was certain President Barack Obama would make a nomination, whether Republicans like it or not. He called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to slam the brakes.

Jeb Bush and Trump got nasty over the Iraq War and the Bush family legacy. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio got personal over immigration. John Kasich and Bush went at it over Medicaid expansion. And the crowd was a constant agitator - booing and cheering like crazy for their chosen candidates.

Earlier, Bush and Trump clashed over the question of how to deal with Syria.

Bush accused Trump of promising to "Accommodate Russia."

"When Trump hit back, saying, "Jeb is so wrong," the audience again responded to the businessman with boos. Ref. CNN.

Republicans 2016 Politics Business Civil & History - Page 5

Ted Cruz said during CNN's South Carolina town hall that he "Laughed out loud" when he learned of the cease-and-desist letter Donald Trump's campaign sent his team for running an ad highlighting his opponent's former position on abortion rights.

Cruz, Trump's closest rival in the state, defended the ad in question, saying it largely uses Trump's "Own words" to demonstrate the businessman's past stance in favor of abortion rights.

"It is quite literally the most ridiculous theory I've ever heard, that telling the voters what Donald Trump's actual record is deceitful and lying," he told moderator Anderson Cooper.

Cruz addressed a question from the audience about another allegation that Trump has thrown his way: that Cruz may not be eligible to be President of the U.S. Because there is a question over whether he's a "Natural-born citizen," as required by the Constitution.

"I've never breathed a breath of air on this planet when I was not a U.S. Citizen," said Cruz, who was born in Canada.

Marco Rubio and Ben Carson took the stage before Cruz during the prime-time event that offered each of the candidates an opportunity to make a personal case to the voters of this Southern state just three days before voting begins.

Unlike in the debates, the White House contenders are each on stage separately and field questions from audience members as well as Cooper.

A second CNN town hall Thursday night will feature the remaining three GOP candidates: Donald Trump, Jeb Bush and John Kasich. Ref. CNN.