There were five major revelations from the fourth Republican debate

The Predictions of a Fourth Florida Primary Debate: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy

For the three previous debates, Trump has held some kind of counterprogramming event, such as a rally or major interview. This time, in what looks to be another sign of just how confident he’s feeling in this primary, Trump is attending a private fundraiser in Florida – as Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, debates the rest of Trump’s challengers in Alabama.

It’s a make-or-break moment for both the Republican and the Democrat, because they were seen as the favorites to take on Trump. But McHenry points to a recent shakeup at a pro-DeSantis super PAC, and the fact that Haley seems to have stepped into that role based on polling and support from donors like the Koch network.

Republican pollster Jon McHenry of North Star Opinion Research believes there’s still a narrow opening for an alternative, “as much as Donald Trump is trying to force it closed and lock it.”

The remaining candidates have more time to distinguish themselves and prove that they have a path to the nomination despite Trump’s dominance.

But for this fourth primary debate, the field is smaller than ever, with just four candidates meeting the Republican National Committee’s criteria to participate on stage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. There’s also just over a month from the Iowa Caucuses, so time is getting short to win over undecided voters.

The participants will be former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Donald Trump will not be at the event.

After missing last month’s debate and again failing to qualify for this one, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum dropped out of the race this week. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who was in the debate last month, also recently dropped out.

To Ramaswamy, Christie leveled this: “This is the fourth debate that you would be voted in the first 20 minutes as the most obnoxious blowhard in America.”

Christie painted DeSantis as a squirrely politician who didn’t answer questions directly on whether he’d send troops to free American hostages from Hamas and whether Trump was “fit” to be president.

It took 17 minutes for Christie to say a word but he didn’t miss an opportunity once he started talking. He blasted both of them for their silence on Trump.

Christie said he understood why the timid people would not disagree with someone who was a dictator, a bully, and had taken shots at everyone.

Five major takeaways from the 4th Republican debate: “The Harry Potter archenemy” Haley and the prosecution of the charges against Donald Trump

That’s not to mention the 91 counts he’s currently facing with a mix of federal and state charges. In fact, DeSantis accused the FBI of “abuses of power” for pursuing Trump.

The enormity of what Trump is accused of doing outside of the primary is not something that is going to make any difference in these.

Haley critiqued Trump on China and national debt, but also on his age and not delivering on his promises like building the wall and making Mexico pay for it.

The other candidates didn’t jump in when Christie tried to make them defend or criticize Trump’s conduct. That seemed to prove Christie’s point that Trump is “Voldemort” to the other candidates, the Harry Potter archenemy, who in the story is called, “He who shall not be named.”

She was not going to be deterred when Ramaswamy held up a notepad with a quote on it written in Sharpie.

She’s been surging in polls, money and endorsements, and DeSantis and Ramaswamy clearly wanted to try and pull her down. They repeatedly went after her, sometimes with some low blows from Ramaswamy in particular.

That moment was useful for what happens when other candidates see who is the main threat in a debate. On Wednesday night, that person was Haley.

During a Democratic primary debate two decades ago, Howard Dean was seen as the man to beat by the other candidates.

Source: 5 major takeaways — and one thing missing — from the fourth Republican debate

Five major takeaways from the fourth republican debate: Why gender, identity, and mental health are important… but what is missing?

The irony of Chris Christie being called the most obnoxious blowhard in America by someone else is hilarious.

This is the same person who ended Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign in a debate. He came pretty close Wednesday night to that level with DeSantis and Ramaswamy.

In the 2022 exit polls, when people were asked if society’s values on gender identity/sexual orientation are changing for the better, changing for the worse or not getting better or worse, half said changing for the worse. A quarter said changing for the better, while 1 in 5 said neither.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist survey from June found that most think gender is determined by birth, but they don’t want to completely limit the ability for people to have access to gender transition-related health care – though there are sharp divides on when care should be available.

So, Republicans, one could argue, start with an advantage on this issue – until the nuance and empathy goes out the window. DeSantis, multiple times, referred to gender transition as “mutilation” and “child abuse” and disagreed with Christie that it should be up to parents to decide.

Ramaswamy said that transsexuals are a mental health disorders and that it’s a problem in kids.

Being trans isn’t a mental health disorder. Gender dysphoria, which is the confusion that takes place before transitioning, according to the Cleveland Clinic, can lead to mental health challenges, like depression, anxiety, social isolation and more.

That’s why there are concerns about the high rates of suicide or suicide attempts among people who are transgender. According to the National Institute of Health, about a third to half of transexual people attempt to kill themselves.

Source: 5 major takeaways — and one thing missing — from the fourth Republican debate

The Fine Line: a Political Tool in the Culture Wars, or Why the GOP Does Not Want to Walk on the ‘Naked Man’s Road’

So there is a very fine line for politicians to walk on this, but Republicans rarely do. The issue is used as a political tool in the culture wars.

He made up a murderers’ row of conspiracy theories, from asserting that Jan. 6 was an inside job, to the “Great Replacement” being a sign of the Democratic Party’s platform.

Indeed there is. There’s a not-insignificant portion of the GOP base prone to believing these conspiracy theories, and it’s helping keep Ramaswamy on the debate stage.

Abortion has been the biggest issue that’s hamstrung Republicans in the last several elections, from the midterms to special elections to ballot initiatives even in red states.