CHARLESTON, South Carolina (CNN) – Something happened during Thursday’s GOP debate that has not really happened during this political cycle.
The crowd turned on Donald Trump, at one point booing.
Ten GOP candidates participated in an under-card and a main debate held in South Carolina, giving voters another chance to hear from the contenders before the Iowa caucuses.
The gloves are off.
“You’re worried about keeping your homes and families safe and secure. You cannot give Hillary Clinton a third term under Barack Obama’s policies,” said presidential candidate Chris Christie.
“We need to unite behind the winner so that we can defeat Hillary Clinton, because she is a disaster,” Jeb Bush said.
“She wouldn’t just be a disaster. Hillary Clinton is disqualified from being Commander in Chief of the United States,” said Sen. Marco Rubio.
The top seven candidates in the Republican race stood shoulder to shoulder, hoping to convince voters why they should be the picked for president.
“Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to get it done,” said Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
But a good portion of the debate pitted the number one and the number two candidates in the polls — Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz. Not about electability, but on eligibility to be president.
“Back in September, my friend Donald said he had his lawyers look at this in every which way. There was nothing to this birther issue. Since September, the Constitution hasn’t changed, but the poll numbers have,” said Cruz.
“If for some reason he beats the rest of the field… (booing) see they don’t like that… See they don’t like that he beats the rest of the field because they like me,” Trump said.
When asked why he was raising the issue now, Trump replied, “because now he’s doing a little bit better.”
These candidates know that time is ticking for voters to make up their minds.
“If we manage to damage ourselves, and we lose the next election, this nation is over as we know it,” candidate Ben Carson said.
