Santorum, Huckabee attent Trump event after debate

In a Des Moines, Iowa, event that preceded the main GOP debate of the night, the participants lamented that Trump had taken so much of the media’s attention away from them.

The last two winners of the Iowa Caucus were on stage together in what is billed as the undercard debate.

“In the course of those conversations, we acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further”, the spokesperson said.

“When you’re treated badly you have to stick up for your rights”, Trump said.

“The entire lead-up to this debate was about whether Donald Trump was going to show up to the next debate”, Santorum said.

The stakes are highest for Sen.

The Iowa caucuses could spell the end of the line for several presidential candidates.

Bush turned to his fellow Floridian and said he was “confused” to hear Rubio say this, as he accused the senator of changing his position for political expediency.

“He cut and run because it wasn’t popular among conservatives, I guess”, Bush said. “I had to come in and make it very clear that I wasn’t going to be a second fiddle or a second place citizen in this debate”.

“He may try to hang in there hoping for chaos…as long as he can pay for his plane ticket to the next debate, the next state”, Joe Trippi, Howard Dean’s campaign manager in 2004, said. “He’s the most conservative guy and everyone else is a ‘RINO'”.

The low point in the “undercard” debate came when Senator Santorum demanded that he be accorded what amounts to a free campaign advertising budget by the networks: “You know, listening to what your network was talking about prior to this race, this debate, reminded me of the coverage that many on this floor are getting”, Santorum said, chastising the moderator.

Christie, however, delivered one of the strongest performances of the immigration exchange, casting Cruz and Rubio and products of Washington making procedural arguments that don’t resonate with voters. “I feel like I need a Washington-to-English converter”.

Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012, expressed frustration that he had not had the same success this time around.

Senator Santorum refused to fill that vacuum and it was left to Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Jeff Sessions, Rep. Louie Gohmert, Rep. Jim Bridenstine and others to fight the battles against Obama and his enablers in the Republican establishment.

Fiorina said the people she has seen have not asked her about a “crisis” in the Republican Party, particularly if there’s a conservative vs. electability issue, but asked about the issues such as how to defeat the Islamic State militant group and repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Santorum has been relegated to the so-called “undercard debate” because of his low poll numbers, which he insists should not be used to keep him off the main stage with Donald Trump, Sens.

Instead, Trump said, he will hold a competing event at nearby Drake University to benefit veterans’ organizations.

Gilmore, who has not qualified for most undercard debates, mocked Trump’s rival event, as he called himself “the only veteran” running for president this cycle.

“Well, I’ve been to the March for Life for about 25 years, and I thought – I think that’s a pretty good record, spoken at it a few times, and I have shepherded every single piece of pro-life piece of legislation that’s passed over the last 20 years. Did you skip me?” Ironically, Gilmore was immediately asked another question about guns.