Four highlights from the fourth Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa
Recap of the fourth Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, highlighting key moments and exchanges between the candidates.
DeSantis and Ramaswamy team up to attack Haley
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy took shots at former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley during the debate. They criticized her for caving to the Left and the media, questioned her wealth, and accused her of being corrupt. They also went after her proposal to verify social media users online.
Haley responded by saying she appreciates the attention and dismissing the attacks as jealousy. DeSantis claimed that Haley would cave to big donors when it counts.
Christie defends Haley and confronts DeSantis over Trump
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie came to Haley's defense against Ramaswamy's insults, calling him obnoxious and urging him to stop insulting her intelligence. Christie also criticized his fellow candidates for their failure to speak out against former President Donald Trump. He confronted DeSantis over whether Trump is mentally fit to be president again, highlighting the importance of being willing to offend with the truth.
Christie previously called Trump an angry, bitter man seeking retribution and criticized his conduct and policies.
Divisions emerge on parental rights
A question about parental rights and gender-affirming care for young people revealed a split among the candidates. Christie expressed support for limited government involvement and trust in parents to make decisions for their children. He warned against ceding authority to the government, citing dysfunction in Congress.
DeSantis defended restrictions on gender-affirming treatment for minors and warned against surgical procedures, while Ramaswamy suggested federal government action on the issue.
Polling numbers show Trump's lead
While the debates have not significantly altered the race among Republican primary voters, a CBS News poll from early November showed former President Donald Trump leading the pack with 61% support. DeSantis polled at 18%, Haley at 9%, Ramaswamy at 5%, Senator Tim Scott at 4%, and Christie at 2%.
Trump's dominant lead in the polls reflects the ongoing support he maintains among Republican primary voters.
