In a highly anticipated showdown just days before Iowa’s caucuses, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis went head-to-head in the latest Republican presidential debate. This debate was significant as it featured only two contenders, both vying for the elusive second place, with Donald Trump, the dominant force in the Republican primary, holding a rival town hall. With former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie suspending his campaign just hours before the event, the field was whittled down to candidates jockeying for a distant second place behind Trump. Here, we summarize the key takeaways from this pivotal Iowa GOP debate.
THE FIGHT FOR SECOND
Ever since debates began in August, Trump’s absence has created a surreal scene of politicians badly trailing in the polls, talking about what they’ll do when they win the presidency. On Wednesday, at least, it was clear that the remaining contenders in the Republican primary are fighting for second place.
“The opening question was why each of the two candidates thought they were the best option for voters who didn’t want to support Trump. That set the stakes squarely about second place, and the candidates snapped to it.”
Haley opened the debate by touting a new website to track DeSantis’ “lies.”
DeSantis countered, “We don’t need another mealy-mouthed politician who just tells you what she thinks you want to hear so that she can get into office and do her donors’ bidding.”
The sharpest exchange came after Haley continued to needle DeSantis on how he ran his campaign, saying it showed he couldn’t be trusted to run the country if he could spend $150 million and have so much internal chaos and stagnant polling. When the Florida governor tried interrupting her, Haley said, “I think I hit a nerve.”
DeSantis dismissed Haley’s criticism as “process stuff” that voters don’t care about and bragged about his conservative record in Florida while jabbing her for failing to pass school choice as governor.
It went on and on like that, with the two candidates constantly sniping at each other. They swiped at Trump but spent overwhelming time on the person standing at the podium beside them.
The political rationale is straightforward — Trump is 77 years old and faces four separate sets of criminal charges plus a bid to disqualify him from being president that is currently at the U.S. Supreme Court. Anything can happen; if it does, you’d rather be the runner-up than in third or lower. Plus, maybe Trump will reach down and pick his running mate from the top of the also-rans.
Trump’s campaign has already quipped that the debates are vice-presidential and, during his Fox News town hall, suggested he already knew who his pick would be.
As has been the case, Wednesday’s debate didn’t seem likely to change the overall trajectory of the race, with Trump dominating. But at least there were some stakes.
ATTACKING TRUMP … CAREFULLY
By staying physically offstage, Trump has largely avoided being attacked in the debates. It’s tricky to criticize a man beloved by most Republican voters, and for the most part, the contenders haven’t bothered. But that’s been slowly changing, and it continued to Wednesday.
“DeSantis opened with what’s become his standard campaign sound bite, claiming that Trump is only interested in “his issues” and DeSantis cares about “your issues.” Haley quickly criticized the former president for piling onto the federal deficit, not being strong enough against China and failing to end illegal immigration.”
The primary mission for both candidates was to vault into second. But there are increasing signs that both know that, if they make it there, they have to argue for why Republican voters should back them, not their former president.
DIVIDE OVER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Haley and DeSantis have led conservative southeastern states and become emblems of right-of-center governance. However, the debate exposed a fundamental philosophical difference between them over the role of government.
“The two were asked whether it was appropriate for government to try to bend corporations to its social stances, as DeSantis has tried to do in Florida by punishing Disney for opposing one of his measures to limit references to homosexuality in schools.”
As the Iowa Caucuses approached, the Iowa GOP debate offered a glimpse into the intense rivalry between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, both vying for the coveted second position in the Republican primary. While Donald Trump’s presence looms large over the race, the contenders understand the importance of positioning themselves as the alternative to Trump. This debate highlighted their differences and showcased their determination to secure the runner-up spot. With Trump’s campaign hinting at potential running mates from the pool of also-rans, the fight for second place could become increasingly consequential in the coming months, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the evolving GOP landscape.
