The fourth and final debate had plenty of chaotic and disorderly moments. But who came out on top?
The fourth and final Republican primary debate boasted the smallest crowd of candidates thus far, but the night was far from quiet, with all four participants fighting to make a mark just weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses.
Only four candidates out of a once-crowded pool of GOP hopefuls qualified for Wednesday’s debate: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Once again, despite meeting the Republican National Committee’s requirements to participate, former President Donald Trump did not attend.
The former president still held a major presence over the debate stage, however, who holds a healthy lead in preliminary polling for the next GOP presidential nominee. Meanwhile, Haley and DeSantis wasted no time taking the battle for second place to the debate stage, while Christie and Ramaswamy fought to stay in the race.
As expected, Haley faced attacks left and right from DeSantis and Ramaswamy regarding her policies on foreign affairs, the U.S. southern border and her support from top-dollar donors. But the only woman on stage did not waver once amidst the pressure, including telling her foes early in the night, „I love all the attention, fellas.“
Haley specifically faced criticism for her support from Wall Street donors in recent days, and moderators questioned if she would be able to resonate with the working-class demographic of the GOP. The former governor assured voters, however, that she has been a fighter for Republican policies throughout her career, and touted her support from the conservative grassroots group, Americans for Prosperity.
Later in the night, Haley again faced accusations from Ramawsawmy about being „corrupt“, although the attacks did not phase the former governor.
