I’m surprised that Haley didn’t bring fentanyl and China into this border conversation. That’s usually one of her key talking points, allowing her to highlight her foreign policy experience.

I wonder whether that means we’ll see a Haley vs. DeSantis clash over China, then, and whether a former U.N. ambassador will outsmart a Florida governor on the issue.

Haley often gives a personal anecdote on the trail about immigration, saying, “My mother, who immigrated to this country years ago, always says if people break laws entering the country, they won't follow laws when they’re in the country.” That line often elicits approval at her campaign events.

A former U.N. ambassador running on cutting off foreign aid to southern neighbors is a surprisingly unsophisticated policy on immigration.

Haley differs from the two men standing next to her — Ramaswamy and DeSantis. Both of them talk relentlessly about a military solution at the border, whereas she is focused on boosting CPB and ICE.

Christie is asked about the border, and he predictably accuses Trump of failing to complete the wall. It will be notable to see how many OTHER candidates take aim at Trump over the same issue.

Immigration is central to the debate over government funding — and it could be a reason the government shuts down. McCarthy is trying to focus the funding fight on the border. Wonder whether any of these candidates will connect this fight with the 2024 GOP debate over the issue.

The moderators pivot to border security, which is a topic that might resonate with voters across the political spectrum. In our latest NBC News poll, voters overwhelmingly said Republicans are better at dealing with border security than Democrats.

Fifty percent of registered voters said the GOP is better at dealing with border security, while just 20% said Democrats were better.

Earlier tonight, Hallie Jackson reported that Ramaswamy is looking to be more moderate in tone. At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, he evoked Reagan’s 11th Commandment on the stage: Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.

Ramaswamy says the “classical vs. populist” debate is a farce. Which is funny, considering that his back and forth with Pence in the last debate over how it’s not “Morning in America” anymore was a clear shot at Pence’s campaigning as if it’s still the Reagan era.

You’re already seeing a difference with Christie tonight. Advisers told me ahead of the debate that you can expect Christie to more consistently drill into Trump’s policy failures, conduct and refusal to debate. He did two of the three in his first answer — to a question that was unrelated to the former president.