Republican candidates get vile in absence of Donald Trump in GOP debate: Key takeaways

The fourth GOP debate was replete with churlish jibes and whatabouteryas the Republican candidates, instead of discussing national pressing issues, were seen going at each other, diverting people’s attention from Donald Trump’s absence from the debate who had skipped the event to focus on fundraising in Florida.

On Wednesday, four Republican presidential candidates— Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie— tried to go one up against each other in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in a last-ditch attempt to secure the second spot in the last primary debate a month before the Iowa caucuses.

Here are a few key takeaways from the debate

Nikki Haley faces heat over fresh Wall Street backing

In the opening minutes of the debate, DeSantis and Ramaswamy repeatedly took potshots at Haley, who recently became the beneficiary of a fresh endorsement from the Koch-connected Americans for Prosperity.

Both went after her for taking money from Wall Street donors and, specifically, Reid Hoffman, a longtime Democratic contributor who gave $250,000 to a Haley-backing super PAC this week,reports NBC News.

"Nikki will cave to those big donors when it counts," said DeSantis, who was the best-funded candidate in the race.

He also took jibes at Haley saying that as South Carolina's governor she was the "No. 1 ranked" chief executive on bringing Chinese investment into her state.

DeSantis accused Haley of backing down from media criticism, saying “She caves anytime the Left comes after her, any time the media comes after her."

While Ramaswamy suggested she was too close to corporate interests as she gets new attention from donors.

Haley deftly parriedthese jabs, turning some back on DeSantis and Ramaswamy.

"They’re just jealous. They wish they were supporting them,” Haley said of her new donors.

‘No bigger issue in this race than Donald Trump’

Even though Trump was absent, candidates, exceptChristie, spoke at length about him, repeatedly expressing their support for the former president, who remains the No.1 choice of Republican voters.

"I’m in this race because the truth needs to be spoken" about Trump, said Christie, who was the former advisor of Trump for years but has since turned on him, reports NBC News.

"There is no bigger issue in this race than Donald Trump.”

Christie even compared Trump to a fictional villain.

“The fifth guy, who doesn’t have the guts to show up and stand here, he’s the one who is way ahead in the polls. And yet I’ve got these three guys who are all seeming to compete with Voldemort, he who shall not be named,” Christie said, referring to the candidates on stage.

Ramaswamy, was at his cheeky best, throwing one-liners at his rivals.

"All three of them have been licking Donald Trump's boots for years," he said.

DeSantis deftly avoids key questions

DeSantis sidestepped direct questions repeatedly, keeping mum on the Israel-Gaza conflict, and didn’t clarify his earlier remark where he called for the shooting of suspected drug dealers.

Christie, however, called him out on his deafening silence

"Ron gets asked a question and he doesn’t answer it," the former New Jersey governor said.

"When you're president of the United States, you're going to have a choice whether to answer that question or not...You can't give a 90-second speech about your military service."

Ramaswamy’s gimmicks

Ramaswamy chose to engage with quips and gimmicks to garner attention and target his opponents.

He accused Haley of not knowing the names of the three provinces along the Russia-Ukraine border: "She has no idea what the names of those provinces are."

Ramaswamy pulled out a notepad and held it up for the camera to make a point that he believes she's indebted to donors and people who paid her for consulting and speeches.

"Nikki = corrupt" was written on the pad.

He also accused Haley of being a “fascist” for her views on social media.

“We’re marching toward fascism under Biden. The only person more fascist than the Biden regime now is Nikki Haley,”Ramaswamy said.

Ramaswamy was referring to comments made by Haley in November to voters during a telephone town hall where she wanted to make sure “every person on social media is verified.”

(With inputs from agencies)