Republican presidential hopefuls Governor Ron DeSantis and Ambassador Nikki Haley faced off in the last Republican primary presidential debate before the Iowa Caucus.
The two candidates laid out their final pitch to Iowa Republican voters on issues ranging from immigration to foreign policy and international conflict.
However, the tone and rhetoric of the debate became increasingly aggressive as both Governor DeSantis and Ambassador Haley sought to disqualify the other.
When speaking on illegal immigration, DeSantis claimed Haley would worsen the current crisis at the southern border. DeSantis described a Haley-led immigration policy as “having the fox guard the hen house.”
Do not trust Nikki Haley with illegal immigration — that’s like having the fox guard the hen house. pic.twitter.com/kNKK87I7oJ
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 11, 2024
In turn, Haley repeatedly attacked DeSantis for allegedly permitting the expansion of Chinese-owned companies in Florida.
According to Haley, under DeSantis’ administration, “a sanctioned, China-owned company expanded in Florida just last year, 15 miles away from a U.S. military base.”
Ron doesn’t want you to know that a sanctioned, China-owned company expanded in Florida just last year, 15 miles away from a U.S. military base—all under his watch. https://t.co/YqGEqF7XnT
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 11, 2024
A consensus point for both candidates was framing President Donald Trump’s absence on the debate stage as a dereliction of duty and failure to Iowa voters.
On his end, DeSantis expressed President Trump “owes it to (voters) in Iowa” to explain inconsistencies on his record on pro-life, transgender, national debt, and other issues.
Haley criticized Trump’s skepticism of continued support for Ukraine, claiming that “we need a president who understands the difference between good and evil.”
The latest polls in Iowa posit DeSantis and Haley at nearly equal positions while projecting Trump as the clear frontrunner with a comfortable majority lead.
Despite Trump’s sizable lead, Republican candidates seem to be making one final push to secure a different Republican presidential nominee.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie dropped out of the race yesterday, January 10th, to increase support concentration for alternative candidates to Trump.
“I will make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be President of the United States again. That’s more important than my own personal ambition,” said Governor Christie.
