Nick Confessore, Maggie Haberman and Alan Rappeport analyzed the debate in real time. Plus, we had live fact checks.
But minute for minute, this debate showed Cruz at his best. Rubio is a gifted counterpuncher, but I am not sure the Trump-style angry style works for him, as much as the political moment may seem to call for it.
I would have called this night Cruz's best debate yet if not for the final exchanged with Rubio, which gutted him.
Marco Rubio Delivers Sharp Criticism of Ted Cruz on His Record
Photo: Eric Thayer for The New York Times; Video: By FOX BUSINESS
As the moments ticked down on the debate, Senator Marco Rubio unloaded on Senator Ted Cruz with attacks on issues ranging from Mr. Cruz’s record on immigration to his votes for cutting defense budgets.
It was a dramatic TV moment, but it ignored one basic lesson of candidate debate tactics: If you do something big, do it at the beginning of the debate, when more people are tuned in and when reporters who are putting together their accounts of the debate are paying most attention. (Yes. It is true.)
“I appreciate you dumping your opposition research folder on me,” Mr. Cruz said, looking at Mr. Rubio. “It’s your record,” Mr. Rubio responded. Mr. Cruz shook his head. “At least half the things Marco said are flat-out false,” he said. With the clock running down, he never had a chance to prove that point.
Here's Cruz, plugging the new Benghazi movie "13 Hours" and hitting Obama for not saying "radical Islamic terrorism." He ends with an ode against political correctness and promises "this will end."
Rubio says American rights come from God and that the country now "feels different" because Obama was not interested in fixing America, but wanted to change it. "If we elect Hillary Clinton, the next four years will be worse than the last eight," Rubio says.
Carson says that "we the people" can solve the problems facing America and plugs his website.
I am really struck at how Rubio shelved the optimism and humor that has served him so well in past debates and differentiated him. His tone tonight was almost apocalyptic.
Christie starts by talking directly to the viewers and lays into Obama's "fanstasyland." He says he has been a fighter and he will keep that up as president, if elected.
Bush is up next, touting his detailed plans on ISIS, his credibility and his record in Florida. "I ask for your support."
Kasich now going biographical in his closing statement, then explaining his record of reform and taking on special interests in Ohio.
Closing statements after the commercial break.
I note that he bungled the line at first, forgot the "back-bench," and started over again. Bush is a smart and thoughtful guy but I am not sure anyone on this stage is worse at delivering a canned line.
The bell stops Cruz's rebuttal and Jeb Bush gets a question. He turns to Cruz and Rubio, calling them "back-bench" senators who change their views like the wind.
This fight that we are seeing right now, Nick and Alan, is truly where the fight for the soul of the Republican Party is taking place, between Rubio and Cruz.
"I appreciate you dumping your oppo research folder on the debate stage," Cruz says to Rubio, calling the criticisms false.
"It's your record," Rubio says when Cruz protests the dumping of "oppo," or opposition research.
Rubio is laying it all out on Cruz now, saying he has voted against every budget and supported Snowden.
Well then. Rubio came back rather hard against Cruz, just unloading the full oppo file against him, but effectively.
Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio Spar
I appreciate your dumping your oppo research folder on the debate stage.
— Senator Ted Cruz, to Senator Marco Rubio.
No, it’s your record.
— Mr. Rubio replied.
Chris Christie Highlights His Executive Credentials
Photo: Eric Thayer for The New York Times; Video: By FOX BUSINESS
An intense debate between two senators, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, about their tax plans — which broke out after they were asked to discuss dealing with the costs of entitlement programs, like Social Security — provided an opportunity for a governor, Chris Christie, to present one of the ways he has sought to distinguish himself in the field: as an outsider in a year when voters are especially looking for one.
“I’d like to interrupt this debate on the floor of the Senate, which was in response to a question on entitlement,” Mr. Christie said, his voice arcing in sarcasm. “Do people remember that?”
At that point, Mr. Rubio, who was trying to complete making his case against one aspect of Mr. Cruz’s plan — to eliminate the Internal Revenue Service and implement a value-added tax — sought to speak over Mr. Christie, the governor of New Jersey.
Good luck with that. “No, you already had your chance, Marco. You blew it,” Mr. Christie said. “The reason no one wants to answer the entitlement question up here is because it’s hard.”
Rubio's turn, arguing that Cruz wanted more green cards, guest workers and legalizing people who were here illegally. "Now you say you are against it," Rubio says, calling him a flip-flopper on crop insurance and ethanol.
Cruz jumps in saying that terrorism is not a new threat and tars Rubio with the "Rubio-Schumer amnesty bill."
I agree with that Nick, and our colleague Jeremy Peters has written about this recently. Part of Rubio's problem in this campaign has been that his central case for his candidacy has been electability. But he has been seeming to pull harder to the right for the sake of the primary.
There's no lightness anymore -- every line and every response is an exercise in outrage.
I am struck at how Rubio, who is quicker with a sly line than any other person on stage, seems so angry.
Rubio's answer is that the immigration issue is no longer about jobs but about national security. That won't play well with the G.O.P. base, which sees it as about both.
"First an foremost, this issue has to be more than anything else about keeping America safe," Rubio says of open borders.
Rubio finally gets his immigration question.
It sounded like there was a chant coming from the audience of "We want Rand!" in honor of Senator Rand Paul, who was excluded from tonight's festivities.
On to Christie and his thoughts on violent crime rising in America. Christie blames the Obama administration for giving the benefit of the doubt to criminals rather than police. "This is a guy who just believes that law enforcement are the bad guys," Christie says of Obama.
Chris Christie on Marco Rubio
You already had your chance, Marco, you blew it.
— Gov. Chris Christie, suggesting that Senator Marco Rubio failed to answer a question a moderator had asked.
Not since Mike Bloomberg pledged to stay away from his company has this been an issue so prominently in a race.
"Run the company, kids," Trump says to his children who are in the audience.
We return with a question to Trump and whether he would put his assets in a blind trust if he wins the presidency. "It's an interesting question," Trump says. "If I become president, I couldn't care less about my company."
And on that topic, Christie has made some claims about how the Obama administration failed to enforce a red line in Syria. But his recollection of the timing of events seems a bit off.
Chris Christie
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