DeSantis attack on Trump gets high marks at New England College
NBC News is watching the debate at New England College, with eight college students who vote in New Hampshire.
“Ron DeSantis came out swinging against former president Trump and focused on his own record in Florida — that’s what he needs to do tonight to reassure tentative supporters like me that he deserves the nomination,” Jack Coleman, 20, a student at Dartmouth College.
Coleman also said, “Vivek is doing what I expected him to do — making waves with bold assertions like ending birthright citizenship but I want to hear how he’s going to fix our economy and broken education system. The border is important but deporting children born in America is not the way to solve that crisis.”
Scott more outspoken
Kristen Welker notes: Sen. Scott so far has been more outspoken in this debate than the first and has come out swinging against Ramaswamy, blasting him for saying the other candidates were “bought and paid for” in the last debate.
Bianca Seward adds: And using this opportunity to clean up his “bought and paid for? absolutely!” error from Milwaukee
Tim Scott firing a shot at Vivek!
Tim Scott firing a shot at Vivek! He’s been calling out Vivek, as well as other 2024 contenders, including Trump, by name in recent weeks in what has been a complete shift from the early days of his campaign.
Also Vivek never mentions Tim Scott on the trail so interesting he’s his main target tonight.
Are there moderators here? This is the third or fourth time that the candidates have erupted into infighting and speaking over one another with little intervention by the moderators.
Scott’s saying his priority is for Americans to be able to keep their money reminds me of how he nicknamed the 2017 Republican tax cut law “hashtag keep yo’ money.”
Christie has been uncharacteristically quiet thus far
Christie has been uncharacteristically quiet thus far, as he was during the first GOP debate.
Ramaswamy on ending birthright citizenship
Dasha Burns notes: Ramaswamy is doubling down on his plan to end birthright citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Katherine Koretski adds: Ramaswamy on ending birthright citizenship, which he received to become a citizen of this country. Although he says his parents came here legally — but his father never took the citizenship test.
Alex Tabet points out: Trump said the same thing in 2018.
25 minutes in and candidates are keeping it peaceful
Biden has been a frequent target, and Trump has taken some hits, but the candidates on the stage have stayed away from attacking one another.
There is that happy warrior Ramaswamy again
There is that happy warrior Ramaswamy again.
After being so aggressive in the first debate, Ramaswamy is doing the opposite tonight. He’s repeatedly going out of his way to say that he agrees with all the Republicans on the stage and that they’re all good people.
NBC News is watching the debate with dozens of California conservative voters, less than two miles from the debate stage.
As the debate starts here in Simi Valley, little separates the big stage from a watch party venue of about 50 people beyond the golf course it sits on.
Inside, the room’s north star is two women: Gloria McComb and Sandra Perrin. As each candidate was announced, they would either clap or sit silently. DeSantis got claps. Christie did not. Tim Scott got a clap and a “woo.”
I asked Gloria why the enthusiasm for Scott? “What do you like about him?”
“Love,” she corrected. “I love love him. I love that he talks about where he came from. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but I feel like he has a plan.”
Both said that if their two favorites don't make a splash on stage, they will fully support another Trump presidency.