The second GOP presidential debate in Simi Valley, Calif., saw Republican rivals clash over curtains, quip about sleeping with teachers and mostly talk over each other as moderators struggled to keep control of the evening.
Despite some standout moments, no clear winner emerged from the fray who could catch up to the absent frontrunner, former President Trump.
Instead, Trump — who counter-programmed the night’s event with a speech in Michigan to union and nonunion auto workers — felt like the biggest winner.
The former president continues to be far and away the leading candidate, beating his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), by 42 points in a recent national poll.
While candidates criticized the former president throughout the debate, Trump took center stage in absence – even closing out the evening’s final topic. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was the only candidate to answer moderator Dana Perino’s last question of who on the stage “should be voted off the island” – to which Christie answered, Trump.
For more on the winners and losers of the second GOP debate, check out the coverage from The Hill’s Julia Manchester, Brandon Conradis and Ian Swanson here.
Still, Nikki Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, had the strongest performance of the night, building on her momentum from last month’s debate in Milwaukee.
She stood her ground against Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), telling him to “bring it” as he opened his line of attack on her support for hiking the gas tax as governor and her spending while at the U.N.
And the former South Carolina governor produced one of the most memorable exchanges, bluntly telling Vivek Ramaswamy, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.”
The Hill’s Caroline Vakil and Julia Mueller have more on the night’s biggest takeaways, including Haley’s comebacks and Ramaswamy’s rebooted strategy.
