Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley battled Wednesday night for Iowa’s Republican vote in the final debate before the Hawkeye State’s first caucus next week — with each seeking a come-from-behind victory over former President Donald Trump.
With five days to go before voting, the candidates spent two hours on CNN reiterating their differences on Ukraine aid, raising the retirement age and pressing companies like Disney on social issues — when not making personal attacks.
DeSantis, Florida’s governor, accused Haley of being a “corporatist” dependent on big-money donors who might “give up” on pledges, while the former governor and South Carolina’s ambassador to the United Nations derided her as a “desperate.” liar who has run a lavish campaign which is not efficient.
Trump leads among Iowa voters by a large margin according to public polls and has stayed above the fray by skipping the forum in favor of his nearby Fox News town hall.
The 45th president is supported by 52.2% of Iowa Republicans, according to a recent RealClearPolitics average of polls — followed by Haley at 16.6% and DeSantis at 16.4%.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis accused Haley of being a “corporatist” tied to big-money donors who might “cave in” on social issues. AP
The identity of the runner-up could be significant even if Trump wins, however, as the candidate who defies expectations could gain momentum heading into the Jan. 23 primary in New Hampshire, where recent polls show Haley within striking distance of Trump.
DeSantis opened the debate with an attack, saying: “Donald Trump is running on his issues. Nikki Haley is running to continue her donor issue. I ran to continue your issue and your family’s issue.”
Slamming Haley, he added, “We don’t need another foul-mouthed politician who just tells you what he thinks you want to hear.”
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley derided DeSantis as a “desperate” liar who has run an incompetent wasteful campaign. Reuters
The South Carolinian fired back, telling viewers at least 11 times that they should go to the website DeSantisLies.com, where his campaign sought to counter his attacks — at one point adding the Southern words “bless his heart” before plugging the site once more.
“He was just angry with the donor because the donor was with him, but they are no longer with him,” he said. “His campaign is blowing up”
Haley closed by warning Republicans that a second Trump administration would bring “four more years of chaos” and saying that she could “make America proud again.”
At the start of their debate, DeSantis compared his campaign to that of former President Trump and Haley, saying he was the only one who was after “your issues and your family’s issues.” REUTERS Haley gestures with her hand toward DeSantis during Wednesday night’s GOP Presidential debate. Getty Images
On policy, the candidates laid out their stark differences on Ukraine aid — as President Biden asked Congress for another $61.4 billion after $113 billion had already been appropriated.
Haley accused DeSantis of “imitating Trump and trying to act like he doesn’t want to support Ukraine” and said funding Ukraine is “about preventing war” — including preventing Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
DeSantis responded that Haley was “basically a carbon copy of what Biden did” by advocating an “open commitment” to Kyiv before adding that “a lot of people have died and we have to find a way to end it.”
DeSantis and Haley shake hands before their debate in Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University on January 10, 2024. Getty Images
On the question of whether to raise the Social Security retirement age for full benefits from the current 66 or 67, DeSantis said he opposes it because of the US’s declining life expectancy,
“Under his administration, you’re going to have seniors getting lower cost-of-living adjustments, while your tax dollars are going to pay for the pensions of Ukrainians,” he blasted Haley, who said she would be open to raising the retirement age for people now within 20s,
“They should plan to increase their retirement age,” he said.
The candidates also diverged over DeSantis’ crusade against Disney after the entertainment giant challenged a Florida law that restricts discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools.
DeSantis looks to his podium as Haley speaks as the two Republican presidential candidates debate each other at Drake University January 10, 2024. REUTERS
Co-moderator Dana Bash asked DeSantis: “How does that square with the traditional conservative view that small and limited government is best?”
“The government’s role, if it means anything, is to protect our children,” DeSantis said. “It’s wrong to tell kindergartners, as Disney wants to do, that you can change your gender or to tell third graders that you were born in the wrong body.”
He blocked an attack on Haley’s “corporatism,” saying, “he supported $900 million in subsidies to Boeing when he was in South Carolina. Then when he got out of office, he took a seat in their hall and he made millions of dollars.
DeSantis and Haley point the finger at each other during a debate on January 10, 2024. REUTERS
Haley responded: “We’re not awake in South Carolina … but one thing you don’t do is, the government doesn’t bully our business and that can’t happen and Ron is determined — whoever offends him, he’s going after them. “
The candidates also poked fun at each other over campaign missteps, with DeSantis pointing out Haley’s recent remark that New Hampshire could “fix” the Iowa result, which she said was a joke.
“He’s made $150 million — I don’t know how you do it — through his campaign and he has nothing to show for it,” Haley said. “He spent more on private jets than on ads in Iowa … If he can’t run a campaign, how are you going to run a country.”
While DeSantis and Haley were debating each other, Trump held a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa that aired on Fox News Wednesday night. Getty Images
DeSantis countered that Haley might be “more liberal than Gavin Newsom,” the governor of California, and said of the former diplomat’s job in the Trump administration: “You can take the ambassador out of the United Nations but you can’t take the United States out of the ambassador. “
Meanwhile, Trump drew attention by teasing at his Fox town hall that he had already decided to run while seeking a rematch against Biden, who defeated the 45th president in 2020.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
