Jan. 14, 2016, 7:27 p.m.
We noted this back in November, and no Republican presidential hopeful has laid out a significantly different strategy since.
Jan. 14, 2016, 9:37 p.m.
Donald Trump certainly knows how to spark a conversation. Indeed, two of the top-Tweeted moments from Thursday's debate were about him. But the lesser-known candidates generated plenty of commentary themselves. Here's what the Internet was talking about:
Ben Carson hates the comments section
Ben Carson spoke the least during the debate, according to an NPR tally. Still, his disbelief at the uncivil discussions in online comments sections didn’t go unnoticed.
“You go to the Internet, you start reading an article and you go to the comments section," Carson said during a brief discourse on the combative nature of some people, a contrast to his own soft-spoken bearing. “You cannot go five comments down before people are calling all manner of names."
Twitter responded with advice:
An absent Rand Paul gets a rallying cry
Rand Paul declined to join the so-called undercard debate. Instead, he opted to hold his own town hall on Twitter.
Though he was gone from the stage, his name didn’t go unsaid.
Jan. 14, 2016, 8:46 p.m.
Just seven Republicans appeared on the main debate stage Thursday, the smallest group yet, but the exclusivity did little to sort out the crowded field.
Here's what was notable:
The Trump-Cruz feud isn't going anywhere
The fraying bromance between Trump and Cruz spilled into the open over not just the billionaire's suggestion that Cruz may not qualify for the presidency because he was born in Canada, but also over Cruz's accusation that Trump represents "New York values."
Rubio tries to be angrier
Rubio's greatest asset has been his optimistic message, rooted in an inspirational family story as the son of Cuban immigrants who rose to become a senator.
But as Rubio's candidacy has, like everyone else's, been stuck in Trump's shadow, his tone has sharpened.
Jan. 14, 2016, 8:13 p.m.
Donald Trump's repeated calls to ban all Muslims from entering the United States has provoked lots of controversy -- and has corresponded with a boost in his ratings.
Tonight's debate moderators asked Trump's competitors whether they agree with his proposal for a ban. Here are their responses.
Jeb Bush: No. "All Muslims ... seriously? Are we going to ban Muslims from India? Of course not. What we need is a plan to destroy ISIS."
Jan. 14, 2016, 8:06 p.m.
Jan. 14, 2016, 7:53 p.m.
Ted Cruz dismissed Donald Trump's conservative beliefs this week as "New York values" as the Republican front-runners escalate their attacks on each other. Not surprisingly, the moderators of Thursday night's debate asked Cruz to define the phrase.
It didn't take long for debate-watchers to interject with their own #NewYorkValues:
Jan. 14, 2016, 7:42 p.m.
We don't need a weak person as president of the United States. That's what we'd get if it was Jeb.
Jan. 14, 2016, 7:28 p.m.
As Syria endures the fifth year of a civil war that has displaced millions of people, many Republican presidential hopefuls are pushing for the United States to implement a no-fly zone over the country to help protect Syrians trying to flee.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all support a no-fly zone in Syria. They argue that it would prevent civilian casualties and would be a show of force toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose military has carried out airstrikes on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"We’re not going to have peace in Syria unless we have a no-fly zone," Christie said Thursday.
Jan. 14, 2016, 7:19 p.m.
After months of studiously avoiding criticizing Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz lashed out at the billionaire in Thursday’s Republican debate, pointing to past liberal statements the front-runner has made.
Cruz reiterated a criticism he raised this week, that Trump had “New York values.”
“Everyone understands the values in New York City are socially liberal, are pro-abortion, are pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media,” Cruz said, pointing to an interview that Trump did several years ago where he declared himself “very pro-choice.” “He explained, look, I’m from New York.... Those aren’t Iowa values but that’s what we believe in New York.”
Jan. 14, 2016, 7:19 p.m.
Presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Rand Paul have gained more Twitter followers than other candidates since the start of Thursday's Republican debate.
Twitter's government and elections team tallied up the numbers comparing candidates on both sides of the aisle. Trump is one of seven participants on the main debate stage. Paul, on the other hand, declined Fox Business Network's invitation to participate in the undercard debate and opted to hold a Twitter "town hall" instead.