NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – The Republican presidential debate on Thursday featured the fewest candidates to date – but the most rollicking action yet. With just over two weeks until the voters begin making their choices in the leadoff Iowa caucuses, here are a few key takeaways from the night.
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THE TRUMP-CRUZ DYNAMIC
Ted Cruz and Donald Trump – the two candidates atop the preference polls in first-to-vote Iowa – repeatedly went toe to toe, starting with Trump’s questioning of whether Cruz, born in Canada to a U.S. citizen, is eligible to serve as president.
Asked about the issue by a debate moderator, Cruz reminded the audience that Trump had once said Cruz’s citizenship was a non-issue. And the Texas senator was ready with a zinger, too: “Since September, the Constitution hasn’t changed. But the poll numbers have.”