Four candidates face off in fourth GOP presidential debate

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Four Republicans took the stage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama Wednesday night to make last minute pitches to voters against the challenge of overtaking of former president Donald Trump.

Trump once again did not participate in the debate, but loomed large over the four candidates who did participate — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made some of the most direct punches against Trump.

“He is unfit to be president and there is no bigger issue in this race,” Christie said on stage Wednesday.

Trump wasn’t the only one taking punches, as all four candidates turned to yelling at each other multiple times throughout the night. Nikki Haley took heat from her fellow candidates as her poll numbers have climbed over the last few months.

“Nikki if you can’t tell the difference between where Israel and the U.S. is on a map I can have my three-year old son show you the difference,” Vivek Ramaswamy said about Haley’s position on the Israel Hamas War. Ramaswamy and Haley have come to blows before on foreign policy, with Haley pointing out Ramaswamy’s lack of experience.

Haley highlighted her experience as United Nations Ambassador when the moderators asked her about foreign policy.

“I dealt with Iran everyday at the United Nations and they only respond to strength,” Haley said.

DeSantis was once considered Trump’s most formidable foe, but needed to make a splash last night as Haley overtakes him in some polls.

“The idea that we’re going to put someone up there that’s almost 80 and there’s going to be no effects from that, we all know that’s not true,” DeSantis said when Trump’s age came up in the debate.

There are two more primary debates scheduled in January, both hosted by CNN. The first is January 10 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The second is January 21 at St. Anselm College in New Hamphsire.

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