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| Houston, Trump may have a problem: Rubio trips up frontrunner at debate | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Marco Rubio took the fight to Donald Trump on Thursday night. With assistance from Ted Cruz, the Florida senator unleashed an all encompassing attack on Donald Trump’s business record and policy acumen that has the potential to shake up the Republican presidential race. | Marco Rubio took the fight to Donald Trump on Thursday night. With assistance from Ted Cruz, the Florida senator unleashed an all encompassing attack on Donald Trump’s business record and policy acumen that has the potential to shake up the Republican presidential race. |
| Related: Republican debate: Trump defends against attacks from Rubio and Cruz – live | Related: Republican debate: Trump defends against attacks from Rubio and Cruz – live |
| Trump, who has emerged as the Republican frontrunner with remarkably little vetting, was consistently attacked for employing foreign and illegal workers, over his business record and regarding his lack of policy specifics. | Trump, who has emerged as the Republican frontrunner with remarkably little vetting, was consistently attacked for employing foreign and illegal workers, over his business record and regarding his lack of policy specifics. |
| Rubio gleefully mocked him: “You say the same thing every night.” | Rubio gleefully mocked him: “You say the same thing every night.” |
| The Florida senator then gave his own parody of Trump’s stump speech: “Everyone’s dumb, I’m going to make America great again, I’m winning in the polls, lines around the states, every night.” | The Florida senator then gave his own parody of Trump’s stump speech: “Everyone’s dumb, I’m going to make America great again, I’m winning in the polls, lines around the states, every night.” |
| The exchanges marked the first time rival candidates have used the debate stage to go after the very foundation of Trump’s campaign – his experience as a businessman, his assertion that he is the only candidate who can be relied upon to be a stalwart opponent of illegal immigration and his belief in “winning”. | The exchanges marked the first time rival candidates have used the debate stage to go after the very foundation of Trump’s campaign – his experience as a businessman, his assertion that he is the only candidate who can be relied upon to be a stalwart opponent of illegal immigration and his belief in “winning”. |
| It left Trump stuttering and defensive. | It left Trump stuttering and defensive. |
| “I don’t repeat myself,” he said, as he struggled through another tough exchange with Rubio. “I don’t repeat myself. I don’t repeat myself.” | “I don’t repeat myself,” he said, as he struggled through another tough exchange with Rubio. “I don’t repeat myself. I don’t repeat myself.” |
| The concerted tag team attacks and the frontrunner’s counterpunching left John Kasich and Ben Carson as relative bystanders. At one point, Carson even pleaded “Can somebody attack me?” | The concerted tag team attacks and the frontrunner’s counterpunching left John Kasich and Ben Carson as relative bystanders. At one point, Carson even pleaded “Can somebody attack me?” |
| Trump has emerged at the head of the pack by building a populist movement of discontented blue collar voters very different from the fiscally and socially conservative coalition that George W Bush once relied upon. As he said on stage: “We are building a new Republican Party. A lot of new people are coming in.” | Trump has emerged at the head of the pack by building a populist movement of discontented blue collar voters very different from the fiscally and socially conservative coalition that George W Bush once relied upon. As he said on stage: “We are building a new Republican Party. A lot of new people are coming in.” |
| But on Thursday his rivals used his past heresies try to discredit him with those voters and to consolidate their appeal among Republicans who disdain Trump. | But on Thursday his rivals used his past heresies try to discredit him with those voters and to consolidate their appeal among Republicans who disdain Trump. |
| Rubio used immigration, long the defining issue of Trump’s campaign, as a cudgel from the very beginning of the debate. | Rubio used immigration, long the defining issue of Trump’s campaign, as a cudgel from the very beginning of the debate. |
| The first question, from CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer, was on Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants but to let “the good ones” back in. Rubio seized the opportunity. | The first question, from CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer, was on Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants but to let “the good ones” back in. Rubio seized the opportunity. |
| “The truth is, though, that a lot of these positions that he’s now taking are new to him,” the Florida senator said. | “The truth is, though, that a lot of these positions that he’s now taking are new to him,” the Florida senator said. |
| He referred to a New York Times story on Thursday that claimed that Trump’s exclusive club in Palm Beach, Florida, has pursued more than 500 temporary foreign worker visas since 2010 and hired only a handful of US residents. | He referred to a New York Times story on Thursday that claimed that Trump’s exclusive club in Palm Beach, Florida, has pursued more than 500 temporary foreign worker visas since 2010 and hired only a handful of US residents. |
| “We saw a report in one of the newspapers that Donald, you’ve hired a significant number of people from other countries to take jobs that Americans could have filled,” Rubio said. | “We saw a report in one of the newspapers that Donald, you’ve hired a significant number of people from other countries to take jobs that Americans could have filled,” Rubio said. |
| “My mom and dad – my mom was a maid at a hotel, and instead of hiring an American like her, you have brought in over a thousand people from all over the world to fill those jobs instead.” | “My mom and dad – my mom was a maid at a hotel, and instead of hiring an American like her, you have brought in over a thousand people from all over the world to fill those jobs instead.” |
| Trump said this was because of a lack of available American workers to fill the positions. | Trump said this was because of a lack of available American workers to fill the positions. |
| “They were part-time jobs. You needed them, or we just might as well close the doors, because you couldn’t get help in those hot, hot sections of Florida.” | “They were part-time jobs. You needed them, or we just might as well close the doors, because you couldn’t get help in those hot, hot sections of Florida.” |
| Rubio then mentioned reports claiming that undocumented immigrants have worked at Trump properties. In the 1980s Trump faced a lawsuit alleging that Trump Tower in Manhattan was partly constructed by undocumented Polish workers; a 2015 Washington Post story suggested undocumented workers were potentially involved in building a new luxury hotel in the city. | Rubio then mentioned reports claiming that undocumented immigrants have worked at Trump properties. In the 1980s Trump faced a lawsuit alleging that Trump Tower in Manhattan was partly constructed by undocumented Polish workers; a 2015 Washington Post story suggested undocumented workers were potentially involved in building a new luxury hotel in the city. |
| “You’re the only person on this stage that has ever been fined for hiring people to work on your projects illegally. You hired some workers from Poland,” Rubio said, adding that Trump was forced to pay “a million dollars or so” in a judgment. | “You’re the only person on this stage that has ever been fined for hiring people to work on your projects illegally. You hired some workers from Poland,” Rubio said, adding that Trump was forced to pay “a million dollars or so” in a judgment. |
| Trump said this was “totally wrong” and hit back: “I’m the only one on the stage that’s hired people. You haven’t hired anybody.” | Trump said this was “totally wrong” and hit back: “I’m the only one on the stage that’s hired people. You haven’t hired anybody.” |
| “If he builds the [border] wall the way he built Trump Towers he’ll be using illegal immigrant labour to do it,” Rubio said. | “If he builds the [border] wall the way he built Trump Towers he’ll be using illegal immigrant labour to do it,” Rubio said. |
| “I’ve hired tens of thousands of people,” Trump said. “He brings up something from 30 years ago. It worked out very well. Everybody was happy.” | “I’ve hired tens of thousands of people,” Trump said. “He brings up something from 30 years ago. It worked out very well. Everybody was happy.” |
| Cruz, largely a bystander during the early exchanges, reiterated that he would not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and attacked Trump as a Johnny Come Lately to the issue. | Cruz, largely a bystander during the early exchanges, reiterated that he would not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and attacked Trump as a Johnny Come Lately to the issue. |
| “I really find it amazing that Donald believes that he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration,” sneered Cruz. “I can tell you, when I ran for Senate here in the state of Texas, I ran promising to lead the fight against amnesty, promising to fight to build a wall. | “I really find it amazing that Donald believes that he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration,” sneered Cruz. “I can tell you, when I ran for Senate here in the state of Texas, I ran promising to lead the fight against amnesty, promising to fight to build a wall. |
| “And in 2013, when I was fighting against the ‘gang of eight’ amnesty bill, where was Donald? He was firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice’” | “And in 2013, when I was fighting against the ‘gang of eight’ amnesty bill, where was Donald? He was firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice’” |
| Rubio also repeatedly hit Trump on his business record, including the checkered record of Trump University, a for-profit enterprise that promised to teach attendees about real estate business. Trump is facing several lawsuits in federal court from unhappy customers of what Rubio said was “a fake university”. | Rubio also repeatedly hit Trump on his business record, including the checkered record of Trump University, a for-profit enterprise that promised to teach attendees about real estate business. Trump is facing several lawsuits in federal court from unhappy customers of what Rubio said was “a fake university”. |
| The attack was echoed by Cruz, who referenced one coming case. He bleakly warned that Trump’s “lawyers have scheduled the trial for July”. | The attack was echoed by Cruz, who referenced one coming case. He bleakly warned that Trump’s “lawyers have scheduled the trial for July”. |
| Cruz alleged the mainstream media would make hay if “the Republican nominee [was] in court on the stand being cross-examined about whether he has committed fraud.” | Cruz alleged the mainstream media would make hay if “the Republican nominee [was] in court on the stand being cross-examined about whether he has committed fraud.” |
| Trump claimed the allegations in the case were “nonsense” and insisted that he had only refused to settle the case out of principle. | Trump claimed the allegations in the case were “nonsense” and insisted that he had only refused to settle the case out of principle. |
| Rubio jibed: “You know where Donald Trump would be if he hadn’t inherited $200m? Selling watches in Manhattan.” | Rubio jibed: “You know where Donald Trump would be if he hadn’t inherited $200m? Selling watches in Manhattan.” |
| Trump was also left staggering after another assault from Rubio on his healthcare plan. Trump insisted he would “get rid of the lines around states”, without providing further detail, and resorted to bringing up Rubio’s implosion in the New Hampshire debate against Chris Christie as a defense. | Trump was also left staggering after another assault from Rubio on his healthcare plan. Trump insisted he would “get rid of the lines around states”, without providing further detail, and resorted to bringing up Rubio’s implosion in the New Hampshire debate against Chris Christie as a defense. |
| “I watched him repeat himself five times four weeks ago,” Trump insisted. | “I watched him repeat himself five times four weeks ago,” Trump insisted. |
| But Rubio fired back, noting: “I just watched you repeat yourself five times five seconds ago”. | But Rubio fired back, noting: “I just watched you repeat yourself five times five seconds ago”. |
| Trump kept on trying to change the subject to the New Hampshire debate. | Trump kept on trying to change the subject to the New Hampshire debate. |
| Related: Cruz and Rubio double team Trump on immigration | Related: Cruz and Rubio double team Trump on immigration |
| Trump was then repeatedly hit on a supposed reluctance to release his tax returns, a subject that 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney – no stranger to the issue – has brought up in recent days. Both Cruz and Rubio made clear that they will release their tax returns in the coming days, Rubio saying his were coming Friday or Saturday. In contrast, Trump said he could not release his tax returns because of an ongoing audit. | Trump was then repeatedly hit on a supposed reluctance to release his tax returns, a subject that 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney – no stranger to the issue – has brought up in recent days. Both Cruz and Rubio made clear that they will release their tax returns in the coming days, Rubio saying his were coming Friday or Saturday. In contrast, Trump said he could not release his tax returns because of an ongoing audit. |
| “Every year they audit me,” Trump said. “I will absolutely file my returns but I’m being audited now for two or three years and I can’t do it until the audit is finished.” | “Every year they audit me,” Trump said. “I will absolutely file my returns but I’m being audited now for two or three years and I can’t do it until the audit is finished.” |
| The debate was held five days before the critical Super Tuesday primaries. Twelve states will vote on 1 March in the single largest delegate haul of the entire GOP primary. | The debate was held five days before the critical Super Tuesday primaries. Twelve states will vote on 1 March in the single largest delegate haul of the entire GOP primary. |
| Texas, with 155 delegates, is the largest of the 12 which range from conservative southern states like Alabama and Georgia to liberal outposts in New England like Vermont and Massachusetts. | Texas, with 155 delegates, is the largest of the 12 which range from conservative southern states like Alabama and Georgia to liberal outposts in New England like Vermont and Massachusetts. |
| Trump has led in recent public polls in almost every Super Tuesday state. The exception is Texas, Cruz’s home state, where the conservative senator is maintaining a narrow lead. Trump leads Rubio in Florida. | Trump has led in recent public polls in almost every Super Tuesday state. The exception is Texas, Cruz’s home state, where the conservative senator is maintaining a narrow lead. Trump leads Rubio in Florida. |
| The question now is whether Trump’s leads will crumble after such repeated attacks from Cruz and Rubio. He has so far weathered a parade of controversies and gaffes each of which would have likely torpedoed almost any other candidate’s campaign. | The question now is whether Trump’s leads will crumble after such repeated attacks from Cruz and Rubio. He has so far weathered a parade of controversies and gaffes each of which would have likely torpedoed almost any other candidate’s campaign. |
| “They’re desperate,” Trump said in a post-debate interview with CNN, of the debate attacks. “What else are they going to do?” | “They’re desperate,” Trump said in a post-debate interview with CNN, of the debate attacks. “What else are they going to do?” |