Takeaways from the Republican presidential debate in Iowa By Reuters

5/5

© Reuters. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a Fox Information Channel city corridor forward of the caucus vote in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Scott Morgan

2/5

By Tim Reid

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) -Republican rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley jockeyed on Wednesday to emerge because the clear different to frontrunner Donald Trump simply days earlier than voting within the presidential major race kicks off in Iowa.

Listed below are takeaways from their first head-to-head debate:

CANDIDATES ATTACK EACH OTHER, GO EASY ON TRUMP

If there have been any doubts that the present race for the Republican presidential nomination is a second-place battle between Haley and DeSantis behind Trump, the talk’s opening salvos dispelled them.

Haley and DeSantis instantly went on the assault, and whereas touchdown a couple of glancing blows on Trump, served their finest strains towards one another.

DeSantis, the governor of Florida, known as Haley a “mealy-mouthed” politician beholden to rich donors.

Haley, the previous governor of South Carolina, accused DeSantis of mendacity about her report and touted a brand new marketing campaign web site devoted to pulling down these accusations. She cautioned viewers that DeSantis would lie typically throughout the debate.

“Do not flip this right into a consuming sport as a result of you’ll be over-served by the tip of the evening,” Haley mentioned.

DeSantis directed voters to his personal web site attacking Haley’s report.

“We do not want a candidate who’s going to look down on center America,” DeSantis mentioned, evaluating her to former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The 2 candidates are just about tied in Iowa, the place the first-in-the-nation nominating contest might be held on Monday within the battle to tackle Democratic President Joe Biden in November.

A DIFFERENT DESANTIS – BUT MAYBE TOO LATE

In earlier debates on extra crowded levels, DeSantis typically struggled to grab the highlight and distinguish himself from the sphere.

A unique DeSantis confirmed up on Wednesday evening. Whether or not he arrived too late to make a distinction stays to be seen.

DeSantis was animated and aggressive, very similar to he had been in his debate final fall towards Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom.

DeSantis got here ready to go toe-to-toe with Haley on their governing data and prepared with retorts for the assault strains she threw at him.

He additionally fired off zingers of his personal at Haley, who touts her report as a former accountant.

“We don’t want an accountant within the White Home. We’d like a pacesetter,” DeSantis mentioned.

A CLASH OVER UKRAINE

The candidates clashed over army assist to Ukraine, a problem the place Haley’s hawkish international coverage instincts stand in sharp distinction to DeSantis’s extra isolationist positions.

Haley helps persevering with U.S. monetary and army assist to Ukraine, in keeping with the coverage of Democratic President Joe Biden, whereas DeSantis mentioned the nation’s struggle with Russia wanted to finish so the U.S. may concentrate on issues at dwelling.

Ukraine “is a pro-American, freedom-loving nation. We higher keep in mind that you must be a buddy to be able to get a buddy,” mentioned Haley, who served as United Nations ambassador below Trump.

“That is about stopping struggle – it’s at all times been about stopping struggle,” Haley added, saying she didn’t assist placing American troops on the bottom however needed to keep away from a broader international battle.

DeSantis accused Haley of supporting a pricey, never-ending battle.

“That is going to go on possibly tons of of billions extra into the long run,” DeSantis mentioned, suggesting that Haley cares “extra about Ukraine’s border than she does about our personal southern border.”

HALEY CRITICIZES THE ‘FELLAS’ ON ABORTION

Haley accused DeSantis and different Republican males of being insensitive on the problem of abortion, a subject that has precipitated issues for his or her social gathering on the poll field for the reason that U.S. Supreme Court docket in 2022 ended the federal proper to an abortion.

“These fellas don’t know tips on how to speak about abortion,” she mentioned.

Haley reiterated that whereas she was “unapologetically pro-life,” Republicans can’t be excessive on the problem.

“Our purpose ought to be how will we save as many infants as doable and assist as many mothers as doable. We’re not going to demonize this difficulty anymore,” Haley mentioned.

DeSantis known as her “confused” on abortion.

“I believe she’s making an attempt to talk to totally different teams with various things,” mentioned DeSantis, who signed a stringent six-week abortion ban into regulation in his dwelling state.

DeSantis mentioned Republicans must a greater job serving to girls who’re having kids.

Polls present most Individuals assist some entry to abortion. At his rival city corridor occasion on Fox Information, Trump mentioned efforts to crack down on abortion needed to be balanced towards political realities.

Trump mentioned he thought DeSantis’ weak ballot numbers had been associated to his abortion ban in Florida. “He is doing very poorly. It occurred to coincide with that,” Trump mentioned on Fox Information.

THE ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM

Whereas Haley and DeSantis tore one another down on CNN, Trump’s thoughts was clearly on the overall election as he teased throughout the Fox Information city corridor that he knew who he needed to be his vp.

Haley and DeSantis referred to Trump’s absence on the talk stage a number of occasions. The frontrunner’s refusal to attend any of the Republican Social gathering debates up to now has turned them into sideshows with dwindling viewers.

Trump’s choice to buck conference and boycott the debates has had no influence on his standing in nationwide opinion polls, which present him persevering with to take pleasure in a large lead over each Haley and DeSantis.

The Fox Information city corridor supplied him a pleasant atmosphere during which he confronted few hard-hitting questions, whereas over on CNN viewers watched DeSantis and Haley accuse one another of mendacity in typically acrimonious exchanges.

Whereas each landed punches, the actual winner was arguably elsewhere having a extra relaxed night.