(LibertySons.org) – Top Republican candidates — with one notable exception — vied on stage for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination during the third primary debate held in Miami, Florida, on November 8. At one point, fireworks erupted between former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and biotech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy, resulting in her calling him “scum.”
Five Republican candidates qualified to attend the third debate, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Haley, Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. As he was from the previous two debates, former President Donald Trump remained notably absent, choosing to hold a campaign rally a few miles away in Hialeah, Florida.
Most pundits felt Haley “won” the debate Wednesday night, partly because she successfully parried so many attacks from other candidates. Ramaswamy, especially, seemed to target her, describing her at one point as “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels” after accusing her of enriching herself as a defense contractor lobbyist. Haley punched back with humor, saying they were “five-inch heels” she could run in or use as ammunition in a fight.
Yet, Ramaswamy decided to use a more personal attack vector against Haley, creating a tense moment where audience members booed him on stage. He chided Haley for not answering an audience question about TikTok in a previous debate, instead making fun of Ramaswamy for joining TikTok.
He pointed out that the former ambassador’s daughter used the app for some time and addressed Haley directly, saying she might want to clean her own house “before preaching to anyone else.” Bristling, she responded immediately, telling Ramaswamy, “Leave my daughter out of your voice.” As he continued talking over her, she said, “You’re just scum.”
In more civil discourse, Haley defended her foreign policy record against criticisms raised by DeSantis. As a counterpoint, she accused him of banning fracking in Florida while the US struggles to become energy independent. He denied the charge.
Responding to voter mandates from Tuesday’s elections, Haley also took a much more moderate stance on abortion, admitting that the Supreme Court put the choice back in the hands of States and the People. She argued for consensus in adopting reasonable laws surrounding adoption, late-term abortions, and accessible contraception. She faced pushback from Scott, a staunch pro-life advocate.
The Washington Post, Ipsos, and 538 joined forces to determine who performed best during the debate based on a poll of voters. According to their survey, most felt Haley outperformed other candidates on the stage.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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