GOP debate highlights: Dan Crenshaw weighs in on Haley versus ‘scum’ Ramaswamy

The third Republican primary debate concluded at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, following contentious exchanges over candidates’ policies and records.

Five candidates qualified for the showdown, broadcast by NBC News – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur and woke-bashing author Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Former President Donald Trump has also qualified but did not attend, instead speaking at a rally in nearby Hialeah, Florida.

There were a number of fiery tussles throughout the evening including when Mr Ramaswamy was booed by the crowd for an attack on Ms Haley’s daughter with the former UN ambassador calling him “scum” in response — many agreed with her assessment including Texas Rep Dan Crenshaw.

The candidates stood united in their support for Israeli military action against Hamas but had differing views on Ukraine. There was little time spent addressing the poor performance by the GOP in yesterday’s off-year elections with the focus turning to the topic of abortion.

The next debate is set for 6 December in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and will be hosted by NewsNation.

Key points

• Who won the third Republican debate?

• Vivek Ramaswamy launches unhinged debate rant blasting GOP ‘losers’

• Trump slams ‘weak and ineffective’ rivals at rally during GOP debate

• Ronna McDaniel hits back after debate attack by Ramaswamy

• Dan Crenshaw weighs in on Haley v ‘con artist’ Ramaswamy

• Haley tells Fox News she showed ‘a lot of restraint’ in only calling Ramaswamy ‘scum’

TV ratings plummet to lowest viewership yet in 2024 race

10:08 , Rachel Sharp

Despite the fireworks on stage on Wednesday night, TV ratings slumped to the lowest yet of all three GOP debates to take place in the 2024 cycle.

NBC News announced on Thursday that just 7.51 million viewers tuned in to the network to watch the five candidates.

This marks a significant drop from 9.5 million viewers who watched the second debate on Fox News, Fox Business and Univision in September, which in turn was a sharp decline from 13 million viewers for the first debate in August.

DeSantis’s tongue is getting a lot of attention... no really

09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The height of political conversation has shifted from focusing on Florida Gov Ron DeSantis’s hypothetical heels to his tongue after the presidential hopeful participated in the third GOP debate.

Social media users have been pointing out Mr DeSantis’s inability to keep his tongue in his mouth, posting clips showing the Florida Republican licking his lips in interviews and his tongue popping through a smile on the debate stage.

“WTF is going on with his snake tongue?” Meidas Touch editor-in-chief Ron Flipowski posted on X, alongside an interview of the governor on NBC News.

One user commented with a snake emoji, others posted gifs of snakes for comparison. “Lizard people are real,” another user commented.

Kelly Rissman has the story.

DeSantis’s tongue is getting a lot of attention

Did TIm Scott soft launch his new girlfriend after the debate?

08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott appeared to “soft launch” his girlfriend at the Republican debate in Miami.

Mr Scott, whose bachelor status has regularly been reported on during the campaign, brought Mindy Noce, an interior designer and a mother of three from Charleston, up on stage after the debate to pose for a photo.

Initially, it was unclear who Ms Noce was as she stood next to Mr Scott, but her appearance sparked online speculation that she could be his often-mentioned but never-before-seen partner.

Mr Scott, 58, told the press after the debate that they have been dating for “about a year”.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Tim Scott seems to ‘soft launch’ new girlfriend Mindy Noce at debate

‘He went too far’: Ramaswamy slammed for bringing up Haley’s daughter in GOP debate

07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Vivek Ramaswamy has been slammed by social media users for “going to far” after he brought up Nikki Haley‘s daughter during the third GOP debate on Wednesday night.

In a heated moment – that culminated in Ms Haley branding him “scum” and refusing to shake his hand at the end of the debate – the far-right candidate singled out his Republican presidential rival’s child on stage.

“In the last debate, [Ms Haley] made fun of me for actually joining TikTok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time,” Mr Ramaswamy said, bringing up a month-old comment the former UN ambassador made about his use of TikTok.

“So you might want to take care of your family first,” he added.

His quip prompted booing from the shocked audience while Ms Haley was visibly outraged by the personal attack.

Rachel Sharp has the story...

Vivek Ramaswamy slammed for debate comment on Nikki Haley’s daughter

Tucker, Elon, Joe... that’s who Ramaswamy says should moderate GOP debates

05:15 , Oliver O'Connell

“Think about who is moderating this debate. This should be Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan and Elon Musk,” Mr Ramaswamy said. “We’d have 10 times the viewership, asking questions that GOP primary voters actually care about and bring more people into our party.”

The 2024 candidate claimed Democrats would not allow a conservative news anchor or media personality to host their debates.

Mr Ramaswamy then attacked Ms Welker, an NBC News anchor, accusing her of being part of the “corrupt media establishment.”

Read more...

GOP candidates all vow to support Israel at debate – but not Ukraine

03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Shortly before the candidates took the stage for the third Republican primary debate in Miami on Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that US fighter jets struck a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups, the latest sign of the tense security situation in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Once the spotlights came on, the GOP candidates called for a further ratcheting up of military operations, urging Israel to annihilate Hamas and the US military to directly attack Iran.

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump rivals all vow to support Israel in GOP debate – but not Ukraine

Five key takeaways from the third GOP debate

02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The third Republican primary debate was an ugly slugfest reminiscent of the earliest Trump debates of 2015 — except the former president wasn’t even there.

A group of five candidates, minus their party’s frontrunner, appeared onstage Wednesday evening in Miami for what was billed as a presidential debate but in the end may have just been an exercise in futility, given the continued dominance of Donald Trump in every available poll of the GOP primary.

What transpired over two hours served as a reminder of what Mr Trump has done to this party, and raised the question of whether his shadow will loom over Republicans long after he fades from relevance.

Let’s look at the main takeaways from Wednesday’s showdown:

Third GOP debate: Five key takeaways

Haley slams ‘scum' Ramaswamy in heated GOP debate

01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The 2024 Republican candidates turned on each other in Donald Trump’s absence during a spirited third GOP debate on Wednesday with former UN ambassador Nikki Haley branding Vivek Ramaswamy “scum”.

The tech entrepreneur was booed by the crowd in Miami after attacking Ms Haley’s daughter during a heated exchange over security concerns about TikTok and China – a touchy topic of previous debates.

“In the last debate, [Ms Haley] made fun of me for actually joining TikTok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time so you might want to take care of your family first,” Mr Ramaswamy shot at Ms Haley.

The former UN ambassador responded furiously, “Leave my daughter out of your voice.”

As the crowd booed, Ms Haley shook her head, adding: “You’re just scum.”

Haley lashes out at ‘scum’ Ramaswamy for daughter swipe at GOP debate

ICYMI: At rival rally, Trump slams ‘weak and ineffective’ rivals

00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has slammed his “Weak and ineffective” Republican rivals for the party’s presidential nomination as he again skipped the latest GOP debate.

The former president urged the party establishment to ditch his opponents and get behind his campaign to try and retake the White House in 2024.

“You have about seven or eight candidates left. I think they are at a debate tonight no one is talking about it, everyone is watching…it’s 61 per cent for your favourite president – me – 10 per cent for Ron DeSanctimonious and 7 per cent for Bird Brain (Nikki Haley),” said Mr Trump at his counter-programming debate in Hialeah, Florida, on Wednesday evening.

“Our nation is in very serious trouble and it is time for the Republican establishment to stop wasting time and resources trying to push weak and ineffective RINOs and Never Trumpers that nobody wants and nobody is going to vote for.

“I watched these guys coming in and they are not watchable. The last debate was the lowest-rated debate in the history of politics, so do you think we did the right thing by not participating?”

Read more...

Who won the third GOP debate?

Thursday 9 November 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican presidential candidates descended on Miami for a debate on Wednesday – and the third one without former president Donald Trump sharing the stage.

All of the Republican candidates continue to trail behind the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted former president. Still, some of the sharpest exchanges took place when discussing foreign policy, the Israel-Hamas war, Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and China’s rising influence. Many of the Republican presidential candidates once again attacked Vivek Ramaswamy as the millennial businessman came out swinging.

Here are the winners and losers from the third Republican debate.

Who won the third GOP debate? Your guide to the winners and losers

Chris Christie clashes with Mika Brzezinski over abortion in post-debate Morning Joe interview

Thursday 9 November 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Chris Christie battled with Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski over the issue of abortion on Thursday after a raucous GOP debate the night before reflected on Republican losses on the abortion rights front in Ohio and Virginia.

The former New Jersey governor is a frequent guest of the Morning Joe crew and typically receives a warm welcome on the show; Thursday morning, however, saw him accused of dishonesty by Brzezinski on the issue of abortions in the ninth month of the pregnancy.

Specifically, the MSNBC host claimed that Mr Christie had accused Democrats of supporting limitless abortion that late into the pregnancy.

“I’m not calling you a liar; it’s not honest,” Brzezinski told Mr Christie. She added: “There isn’t abortion in the ninth month.”

John Bowden has the story.

Christie ties himself in knots on abortion in TV interview clash

Nikki Haley: Where does the 2024 Republican candidate stand on the issues?

Thursday 9 November 2023 21:45 , Kelly Rissman

Nikki Haley has quickly ascended in the polls, becoming the most likely Republican candidate to serve as the alternative to former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race – albeit still a long way behind the frontrunner.

Ms Haley boasts experience in foreign policy – at a time of extreme international instability – served as UN ambassador in the Trump administration and left, allowing her to align herself on some policies while putting just enough distance from the frontrunner, and served as the governor of South Carolina, an early voting state.

The 51-year-old differs from the bulk of the GOP field when it comes to abortion, social security, and foreign policy.

After three impassioned debate performances, the spotlight continues to shine on her.

Here is a glance at where she stands on the issues:

Where 2024 Republican candidate Nikki Haley stands on the issues

Jill Stein announces 2024 presidential campaign

Thursday 9 November 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Jill Stein announced on Thursday that she is entering the 2024 presidential race as a candidate for the Green Party, criticising the two major parties for failing to address issues like climate change and inequality.

“The political systm is broken,” she said in an announcement video on social media. “The two Wall Street parties are bought and paid for. Over 60 per cent of us now say the bispartisan establishment has failed us and we need a party that serves the people.”

“We’ll put solutions to the crises we face,” she added. “Crushing inequality, endless war, and climate collapse...The ruling parties that got us into this mess aren’t getting us out.”

Ms Stein ran in 2016 with the Green Party.

Josh Marcus has the story...

Green party candidate Jill Stein announces 2024 campaign

Voices: Why the GOP debates are increasingly meaningless without Trump

Thursday 9 November 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

John Bowden writes:

Mr Trump was mentioned sporadically by both the moderators and candidates, but without the frontrunner present the criticism of his policies and record as president seemed less effective. The big attention-grabbing moment of the night had nothing to do with him; it played out when Mr Ramaswamy took a swipe at Ms Haley’s daughter over her TikTok usage, prompting the South Carolinian to label him “scum”.

Right now, it’s hard to say what, if anything, could move the needle in the GOP primary in any meaningful way. But it does seem clear that the debates are not going to do it, not as long as Mr Trump refuses to attend.

Read the full article...

Why the GOP debates are increasingly meaningless without Trump

Dan Crenshaw weighs in on Haley v ‘con artist’ Ramaswamy

Thursday 9 November 2023 20:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Texas Rep Dan Crenshaw has weighed in on the big moment of Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, adding his voice to the chorus of commentators who have slammed Vivek Ramaswamy for his comments on Nikki Haley’s daughter.

Mr Crenshaw wrote on X: “Yeah he’s scum, but I also despise terrible logic, which Vivek peddles like candy. According to him, his current usage of Chinese TikTok is justified because Nikki Haley’s daughter *used to have it too.*”

He adds: “This guy is a con artist using the serious act of running for president to gain notoriety. He is emblematic of a decaying cultural fabric that rewards dishonor.”

Haley ‘goes Will Smith’ as she berates Ramaswamy

Thursday 9 November 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ex-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley went after entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy during the third Republican debate in Miami, slamming him for mentioning her daughter’s use of the Chinese-owned app TikTok.

“In the last debate, she made fun of me for actually joining TikTok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time. So you might want to take care of your family first,” Mr Ramaswamy said on Wednesday night about the app owned by the company ByteDance, which is based in Beijing.

“Leave my daughter out of your voice. You’re just scum,” Ms Haley responded, with Mr Ramaswamy’s attack leading to boos from the audience.

Gustaf Kilander breaks down the most contentious moment of last night’s debate.

Nikki Haley ‘goes Will Smith’ as she berates Vivek Ramaswamy

ICYMI: Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘non-viable’ GOP debate candidates with Avengers jab

Thursday 9 November 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel gave his review of five GOP presidential candidates he described as “non-viable” on Tuesday night, ahead of the third Republican primary debate.

The third GOP presidential debate is due to take place in Miami on Wednesday. So far, front-runner Donald Trump, who is currently embroiled in a civil fraud trial in New York, has not attended any of the primary debates.

The former president has indicated he sees no point in participating in the debates given his substantial lead over the other candidates in the polls.

Martha McHardy reports.

Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘non-viable’ GOP debate candidates with Avengers jab

‘The middle doesn’t win primaries’: Scott won’t move to middle on abortion, campaign says

Thursday 9 November 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

After a disastrous off-year election night for Republicans that was largely centred around opposition to harsh abortion restrictions, the candidates for the GOP presidential nomination offered a more moderate stance on the topic during Wednesday night’s debate, with the exception of South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

Per RealClear Politics:

None of the candidates strayed from their overall opposition to abortion, however. And for his part, Tim Scott doubled down on his call for a federal ban, saying, “I’d challenge Nikki and Ron to join me at a 15-week limit.”

“I will sign anything where we can get 60 Senate votes,” Haley replied, “but don’t make the American people think that you’re going to push something on them when we don’t even have the votes in the Senate.”

The Scott campaign pointed to that exchange as evidence that the competition was becoming “a little bit more moderate” in an attempt “to get the Never Trump vote.” Jennifer DeCasper, the senator’s campaign manager, told RCP that Scott won’t budge. “He’s not going to move to the middle,” she said, “because the middle doesn’t win primaries.”

Watch: Ramaswamy asked about tense exchange with Haley

Thursday 9 November 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Welcome your debate moderators... Tucker, Elon and Joe?

Thursday 9 November 2023 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Tech entrepreneur and 2024 candidate Vivek Ramaswamy came out swinging at Wednesday’s debate, calling the Republican Party a “party of losers” and attacking the mainstream media.

Kicking off the third Republican debate, moderators asked the five candidates on stage how they would differentiate themselves from the current fronter, Donald Trump.

But Mr Ramaswamy took the opportunity to erupt into a rant about Republicans’ losing streak.

He also had some wild ideas for who should be moderating what is supposed to be a serious debate about policy...

Ariana Baio reports.

Ramaswamy wants Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk and Joe Rogan running debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Let’s talk about DeSantis’s tongue... no, really

Thursday 9 November 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The height of political conversation has shifted from focusing on Florida Gov Ron DeSantis’s hypothetical heels to his tongue after the presidential hopeful participated in the third GOP debate.

Social media users have been pointing out Mr DeSantis’s inability to keep his tongue in his mouth, posting clips showing the Florida Republican licking his lips in interviews and his tongue popping through a smile on the debate stage.

“WTF is going on with his snake tongue?” Meidas Touch editor-in-chief Ron Flipowski posted on X, alongside an interview of the governor on NBC News.

One user commented with a snake emoji, others posted gifs of snakes for comparison. “Lizard people are real,” another user commented.

Kelly Rissman has the story.

DeSantis’s tongue is getting a lot of attention

Tim Scott seems to ‘soft launch’ new girlfriend Mindy Noce at debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 16:30 , Gustaf Kilander

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott appeared to “soft launch” his girlfriend at the Republican debate in Miami.

Mr Scott, whose bachelor status has regularly been reported on during the campaign, brought Mindy Noce, an interior designer and a mother of three from Charleston, up on stage after the debate to pose for a photo.

Initially, it was unclear who Ms Noce was as she stood next to Mr Scott, but her appearance sparked online speculation that she could be his often-mentioned but never-before-seen partner.

Mr Scott, 58, told the press after the debate that they have been dating for “about a year”.

READ MORE

Haley tells Fox News she showed ‘a lot of restraint’ in only calling Ramaswamy ‘scum’

Thursday 9 November 2023 16:25 , Oliver O'Connell

In an appearance on Fox News this morning, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley was asked about calling Vivek Ramaswamy “scum” for mentioning her daughter at the GOP debate.

The entrepreneur was loudly booed on stage in Miami last night for attacking Ms Haley’s daughter’s use of TikTok leading to the angry retort from the former governor of South Carolina. Ms Ramaswamy has been widely scorned on social media and in the press for his remark (and other comments he made during the debate.).

Fox News' Bill Hemmer asked Ms Haley about her response: “Do you want to continue with that today? Do you feel the same way?”

She replied: “I mean ... That was showing a lot of restraint. That’s all I’ll say.”

Watch below:

Ronna McDaniel hits back after debate attack by Ramaswamy

Thursday 9 November 2023 16:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel clapped back at Vivek Ramaswamy after he argued that the GOP has done nothing but lose since she took over the party.

“He’s at four per cent. He needs a headline,” Ms McDaniel said on Fox Business. She argued that the biotech entrepreneur is “kind of new to the party. He voted for Obama”.

Mr Ramaswamy has said that he didn’t vote in either election that President Barack Obama was on the ballot, according to Reuters.

This is a developing story...

VIDEO: Haley calls Ramaswamy ‘scum’ for referencing her daughter during debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 16:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Moment Nikki Haley snubs Vivek Ramaswamy, shaking hands with every other GOP candidate

Thursday 9 November 2023 15:30 , Reann Philogene

Nikki Haley shook hands with each of her GOP rivals, except Vivek Ramaswamy, after a fiery third Republican debate resulted in the two candidates clashing on stage.

Ms Haley appeared to snub the controversial pharma CEO, after Ramaswamy criticized her daughter’s use of TikTok.

He quipped she should “take care” of her family first before speaking on the topic, to boos from the audience.

Visibly enraged, Haley fired back: “Keep my daughter’s name out your voice”

“You’re just scum”, she muttered.

Addressing Mr Ramaswamy’s performance after the event, Ms Haley said he would make America “less safe” if he won the presidency.

Watch: Nikki Haley says she was showin ‘a lot of restraint’ calling Ramaswamy ‘scum'

Thursday 9 November 2023 15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Ramaswamy slammed for bringing up Haley’s daughter in GOP debate: ‘He went too far’

Thursday 9 November 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp

Vivek Ramaswamy has been slammed by social media users for “going to far” after he brought up Nikki Haley‘s daughter during the third GOP debate on Wednesday night.

In a heated moment – that culminated in Ms Haley branding him “scum” and refusing to shake his hand at the end of the debate – the far-right candidate singled out his Republican presidential rival’s child on stage.

“In the last debate, [Ms Haley] made fun of me for actually joining TikTok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time,” Mr Ramaswamy said, bringing up a month-old comment the former UN ambassador made about his use of TikTok.

“So you might want to take care of your family first,” he added.

His quip prompted booing from the shocked audience while Ms Haley was visibly outraged by the personal attack.

“Leave my daughter out of your voice,” she fired back. “You’re just scum.”

Following the debate, Ms Haley’s son Nalin Haley also leaped to defend his family members, and give Mr Ramaswamy a nickname.

READ MORE

Next GOP debate set to air on NewsNation

Thursday 9 November 2023 14:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The next GOP debate is set to air on NewsNation and will be moderators by Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News anchor who famously clashed with Donald Trump in 2016, Elizabeth Vargas of NewsNation, and Eliana Johnson, the editor in chief of the conservative Washington Free Beacon.

GOP mudslinging and the battle for second place: Five takeaways

Thursday 9 November 2023 14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The third Republican primary debate was an ugly slugfest reminiscent of the earliest Trump debates of 2015 — except the former president wasn’t even there.

A group of five candidates, minus their party’s frontrunner, appeared onstage Wednesday evening in Miami for what was billed as a presidential debate but in the end may have just been an exercise in futility, given the continued dominance of Donald Trump in every available poll of the GOP primary.

What transpired over two hours was a slugfest that served as a reminder of what Mr Trump has done to this party, and raised the question of whether his shadow will loom over Republicans long after he fades from relevance.

Let’s look at the main takeaways from Wednesday’s showdown:

GOP mudslinging and the battle for second place: Five takeaways from debate

The Republican candidates have learned from Trump’s legal woes and are condemning Jan 6 – aside from Vivek Ramaswamy

Thursday 9 November 2023 13:00 , Gustaf Kilander

All but one of the Republican candidates appeared to have learned from former President Donald Trump’s deepening legal woes as they appeared for the first Republican primary debate in Milwaukee.

Former Vice President and 2024 candidate Mike Pence stood firmly behind his decision to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory despite mounting pressure from Mr Trump and his supporters, which included violent threats to his life.

Mr Pence was praised by the candidates next to him on the debate stage, apart from entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who came out swinging with conspiracy theories making the rounds on rightwing social media on a variety of topics.

Mr Ramaswamy instead called on Mr Pence to commit to pardoning Mr Trump.

“I’m the only candidate on the stage with the courage to move our nation forward,” Mr Ramaswamy argued.

READ MORE

GOP candidates urge Israel escalation and US attacks on Iran

Thursday 9 November 2023 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Shortly before the candidates took the stage for the third Republican primary debate in Miami on Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that US fighter jets struck a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups, the latest sign of the tense security situation in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Once the spotlights came on, the GOP candidates called for a further ratcheting up of military operations, urging Israel to annihilate Hamas and the US military to directly attack Iran.

Responding to a question about what advice she would give to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had two words: “Finish them.”

Josh Marcus reports.

‘Finish them’: GOP candidates urge Israel escalation and US attacks on Iran

Thursday 9 November 2023 11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Haley ‘always had room to grow'

Thursday 9 November 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman

Rob Godfrey, Nikki Haley’s former deputy chief of staff, recalled Ms Haley knocking on doors to talk to voters and meeting with small groups “at first as an unknown underdog statewide candidate” and watching her momentum grow. So this “is not a new dynamic for her,” he said.

Drawing parallels between the two campaigns, he said, “Right now it looks like there’s wind at her back.”

Gunner Ramer, the political director of the Republican Accountability Project, also discussed Ms Haley’s uptick in the polls. He said that unlike other candidates, like Mike Pence who had 100 per cent name recognition among voters, Nikki Haley “has always had room to grow.”

Her name and experience are especially favourable at a time when global turbulence is part of a daily conversation, some argued.

Thursday 9 November 2023 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

‘Losers’: Ramaswamy launches unhinged debate rant blasting GOP

Thursday 9 November 2023 10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Tech entrepreneur and 2024 candidate Vivek Ramaswamy came out swinging at Wednesday’s debate, calling the Republican Party a “party of losers” and attacking the mainstream media.

Kicking off the third Republican debate, moderators asked the five candidates on stage how they would differentiate themselves from the current fronter, Donald Trump.

But Mr Ramaswamy took the opportunity to erupt into a rant about Republicans’ losing streak.

“We’ve become a party of losers at the end of the day,” Mr Ramaswamy said, a day after Republicans underperformed in off-year elections. “There is a cancer in the Republican establishment.”

Mr Ramaswamy then suggested that Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, was to blame for GOP losses in elections since 2017 when she took office.

Ariana Baio has the story of the unorthodox start to the evening.

Vivek Ramaswamy launches unhinged debate rant blasting GOP ‘losers’

Thursday 9 November 2023 09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

‘Wind at her back’

Thursday 9 November 2023 09:00 , Kelly Rissman

Nikki Haley has long been an advocate for traditional conservative talking points. But it seems like now in particular, as Mr Trump’s base remains firm and the rest of the party searches for an alternative to the flamboyant, frequent defendant former president, her campaign is gaining traction.

She is wary of gun restrictions; while discussing red flag laws in the first GOP debate, she said she didn’t trust that the government “won’t take [guns] away from people who rightfully deserve to have them.”

She is pro-life, but has left space for pro-choice Americans to make the best decision for themselves; she said in April, “Different people in different places are taking different paths.”

Her viewpoints are arguably softer than some of her competitors, perhaps making her more appealing to some Republican voters, conservative strategist Chip Felkel said. “She’s taken a stern stance on some things, but she’s not constantly anti-everything,” he continued, comparing her to Mr Trump’s messaging.

Rob Godfrey, Ms Haley’s former deputy chief of staff as governor who remains neutral during the primaries, attributed her recent “momentum” to the “dynamic in early primary states.” He said races in these states — like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina — “favour some of her best assets as a candidate, which is the ability to connect one-on-one with voters.”

Mr Godfrey attributed this skill to her experience. In her first run to become a South Carolina state representative in 2004, she defeated the then-longest-serving state Representative Larry Koon. She was elected twice more, serving as a state representative from 2005 through 2010, when she decided to throw her hat in the gubernatorial election.

Thursday 9 November 2023 08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

How did Trump think the night went?

Thursday 9 November 2023 08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Well, he wasn’t there, but he had some thoughts at this nearby rally.

slammed his “Weak and ineffective” Republican rivals for the party’s presidential nomination as he again skipped the latest GOP debate.

The former president urged the party establishment to ditch his opponents and get behind his campaign to try and retake the White House in 2024.

“You have about seven or eight candidates left. I think they are at a debate tonight no one is talking about it, everyone is watching…it’s 61 per cent for your favourite president – me – 10 per cent for Ron DeSanctimonious and 7 per cent for Bird Brain (Nikki Haley),” said Mr Trump at his counter-programming debate in Hialeah, Florida, on Wednesday evening.

“Our nation is in very serious trouble and it is time for the Republican establishment to stop wasting time and resources trying to push weak and ineffective RINOs and Never Trumpers that nobody wants and nobody is going to vote for.

“I watched these guys coming in and they are not watchable. The last debate was the lowest-rated debate in the history of politics, so do you think we did the right thing by not participating?”

Trump slams ‘weak and ineffective’ rivals at rally during GOP debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Haley brands Ramaswamy ‘scum’ in fiery GOP debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Among the many spirited exchanges the 2024 Republican presidential candidates engaged in during Wednesday evening’s GOP debate, Nikki Haley calling Vivek Ramaswamy “scum” was one of the most memorable.

During the third Republican debate, moderators asked candidates how they would approach handling security concerns associated with China and TikTok – a topic that candidates had sparred over in previous debates.

When Ms Haley said the app was detrimental, Mr Ramaswamy called out her daughter.

Ariana Baio reports on her full response.

Haley brands Ramaswamy ‘scum’ in fiery GOP debate

Thursday 9 November 2023 06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

GOP candidates urge Israel escalation and US attacks on Iran

Thursday 9 November 2023 06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Shortly before the candidates took the stage for the third Republican primary debate in Miami on Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that US fighter jets struck a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups, the latest sign of the tense security situation in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Once the spotlights came on, the GOP candidates called for a further ratcheting up of military operations, urging Israel to annihilate Hamas and the US military to directly attack Iran.

Josh Marcus reports.

‘Finish them’: GOP candidates urge Israel escalation and US attacks on Iran

Thursday 9 November 2023 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Top DeSantis donor thinks Trump will win

Thursday 9 November 2023 05:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The biggest donor to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis thinks former President Donald Trump will win the GOP primary.

Robert Bigelow told the Financial Times that Mr Trump “is too strong” and that the ex-president “has the momentum, the inertia, to beat him”.

Mr Bigelow called Mr Trump a “bull” while Mr DeSantis is “dinner”.

GOP mudslinging and the battle for second place: Five takeaways

Thursday 9 November 2023 04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The third Republican primary debate was an ugly slugfest reminiscent of the earliest Trump debates of 2015 — except the former president wasn’t even there.

A group of five candidates, minus their party’s frontrunner, appeared onstage Wednesday evening in Miami for what was billed as a presidential debate but in the end may have just been an exercise in futility, given the continued dominance of Donald Trump in every available poll of the GOP primary.

What transpired over two hours was a slugfest that served as a reminder of what Mr Trump has done to this party, and raised the question of whether his shadow will loom over Republicans long after he fades from relevance.

Let’s look at the main takeaways from Wednesday’s showdown:

GOP mudslinging and the battle for second place: Five takeaways from debate

Anger as Ramaswamy seems to call Jewish Ukraine leader Zelensky ‘Nazi’

Thursday 9 November 2023 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Businessman and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy appeared on Wednesday to call Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, a “Nazi” during the latest GOP presidential debate.

During a line of comments in which the Republican argued Ukraine is anti-democratic and undeserving of US aid, Mr Ramaswamy claimed, “It has celebrated a Nazi in its ranks, the comedian in cargo pants, a man called Zelensky. That is not democratic.”

The entrepreneur may have stumbled over his words and actually been speaking about a separate person as a “Nazi.”

Josh Marcus reports.

Anger as Ramaswamy seems to call Jewish Ukraine leader Zelensky ‘Nazi’ at GOP debate

With the candidates heading to the spin room, who won the debate?

Thursday 9 November 2023 03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican presidential candidates descended on Miami for a debate on Wednesday – and the third one without former president Donald Trump sharing the stage.

All of the Republican candidates continue to trail behind the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted former president. Still, some of the sharpest exchanges took place when discussing foreign policy, the Israel-Hamas war, Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and China’s rising influence. Many of the Republican presidential candidates once again attacked Vivek Ramaswamy as the millennial businessman came out swinging.

Eric Garcia picks the winners and losers from the third Republican debate.

Who won the third Republican debate?

Closing statements

Thursday 9 November 2023 02:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Scott: We need a great reawakening and “turn from victimhood to victory, stop kneeling in protest and kneel in prayer”.

Christie: I will open up my heart to every American as president.

Ramaswamy: We are at war with those who don’t like our founding principles and a fringe minority. He then tells the Democrats to end the Biden candidacy which he calls a lie and put up their real candidate suggesting Michelle Obama or Gavin Newsom.

Haley: A strong America doesn’t start wars, a strong America prevents wars. We cannot do that with politicians from the 20th Century, we need politicians from the 21st Century.

DeSantis: I’m doing this for you. I delivered on all my promises for Florida and will do the same for the US as president.

Abortion and last night’s election result

Thursday 9 November 2023 02:49 , Oliver O'Connell

What does last night’s election result mean for the Republican Party in regard to abortion?

DeSantis: I stand for a culture of life.

Haley: Pro-life but the focus needs to be on consensus because the states are deciding and there are areas in which there can be cooperation.

Scott: I want a 15-week limit on abortions.

Haley responds: Let’s see what we can agree on, but don’t make the American people you are going to push something on them when you don’t have the votes in the Senate to do what you are saying.

Ramaswamy: Sexual responsibility for men.

Christie: This is an issue to be decided in each state.

New question: Southern border and fentanyl crisis

Thursday 9 November 2023 02:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Scott: If we want to deal with deaths from fentanyl, we need to deal with it at ports of entry and through the southern border.

Christie: Executive order to have National Guard partner with Customs and border agents at ports of entry and southern border. The country also needs to treat people with drug problems.

DeSantis: We’re going to shoot them stone-cold dead.

Haley: End all normal trade relations with China until the flow of fentanyl stops. Then attack cartels. Then deal with border, sanctuary cities, and move from catch and release to catch and deport. She agrees with Christie on the focus on mental health and addiction.

Ramaswamy: Use our own military to protect our own border and not fight foreign wars.

Biden campaign sees debate as ‘afterthought’ with focus on Trump

Thursday 9 November 2023 02:25 , Oliver O'Connell