The GOP presidential field took to a Las Vegas stage for their fifth and final debate of 2015 earlier this week. Here are the winners and losers:
Winners
Jeb Bush: With declining poll numbers, this debate was a make-or-break moment for the former Florida governor. Of the other eight candidates, Bush was the only one to take the fight to Donald Trump saying that "Donald is great at the one-liners, but he is a chaos candidate and he would be a chaos president.” Trump dismissed the attacks by referencing his place atop the polls, but it was clear that Bush’s strategy was getting under his skin. Even the audience chimed in applauding when Bush said, “You’re not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency.” We’ll have to wait to see the post-debate polling to know if voters like the new assertive Bush.
Chris Christie: Chris Christie had a solid debate performance. A Frank Luntz focus group of voters selected the New Jersey governor as one of it winners, and described him as “experienced,” “highly confident,” and “tells it like he sees it.” During the evening Christie made repeated mentions of his experience as his state’s chief executive while criticizing inaction by those in the U.S. Senate. He referred to Cruz, Paul, and Rubio as "people who've never had to make a consequential decision in an executive position." Christie’s poll numbers have steadily risen in New Hampshire where he now places third behind Trump and Rubio. It’s unclear if his performance will elevate him in the other early voting states.
Ted Cruz: The Texas Senator was the other candidate selected as the winner by the Luntz focus group. While Cruz continued to avoid criticizing Trump, he did go after Marco Rubio on five occasions. In one skirmish relating to terrorism, Cruz may have disclosed classified information when speaking on the USA Freedom Act and the percentage of phone numbers that can be searched.
Marco Rubio: Of the nine candidates, Marco Rubio is the most natural debater. This coupled with a thorough command of the issues has allowed him to deliver several top-notch performances. GOP voters have certainly taken notice, as evidenced by Rubio’s continued rise in the polls. In the RealClearPolitics national average, the senator now places third, edging out Ben Carson. On several occasions, Rubio refused to take the bait and criticize his fellow opponents. Though he did push back when attacked for his participation in the 2013 bipartisan Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill. Rubio even came to the aid of Trump when the frontrunner was unknowledgeable about America’s nuclear triad.
Losers
Ben Carson: The retired neurosurgeon continues to appear out of his league when addressing foreign policy matters. Ben Carson sought to stem the damage following the last debate going so far as traveling to Jordan to visit a Syrian refugee camp. It did not help. Carson perplexed many pundits following his complaint over the lack of speaking time and then immediately declining to answer a question when asked. Since the last debate, Carson has continued to drop in the national polls falling from second to fourth place behind Trump, Cruz, and Rubio.
Carly Fiorina: The former HP CEO continued to rely upon her résumé as a former businesswoman, but offered little new information on how she would address the nation’s problems. Fiorina enjoyed a quick rise in the polls following her first introduction to GOP voters in the second debate, but has been unable to sustain the support.
John Kasich: John Kasich needed a memorable night, but his performance fell flat. While his record as a congressman and governor is impressive, he comes to the presidential race in a year where the GOP electorate is looking for an “outsider.” Continuing to remind voters that you spent 18 years on the House Armed Services Committee isn’t going to win you many votes with this group of voters.
For more information, please contact David Ashinoff at ashinoffd@agc.org or (202) 547-5013.