Republicans salute Reagan and then break from him on immigration.

Seven Republican presidential candidates bulldozed through a fierce, unruly, and heated debate on Wednesday, shouting each other down over foreign policy and energy exploration, while leaving the frontrunner, Donald J. Trump, who wasn't present, largely untouched.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library gathering in Simi Valley was surprising hostile. Nikki Haley was at the center of this free-for all. She attacked Ron DeSantis the Florida Governor, Senator Tim Scott her fellow South Carolinian and Vivek Ramaswamy the entrepreneur.

After listening to Mr. Ramaswamy defend the Chinese-owned TikTok social media platform, Ms. Haley couldn't hide her disgust. 'Everytime I hear you, I feel a bit dumber', she said.

The debate, despite all its fireworks, likely didn't do much to change Mr. Trump’s lead in the polls. There are only three and a quarter months until the Iowa Caucuses. Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey made a valiant effort to call Mr. Trump 'Donald Duck,' after he failed to attend a debate twice in ten months.

Christie stated that he needed to vote him off the island, and remove him from this process.

The other candidates were also firing at each other. Here are some key clashes.

Mr. Scott criticized Mr. DeSantis for a Florida curriculum that teaches that slavery taught the slaves useful skills. Mr. DeSantis tried to take Mr. Trump to task for adding $7,8 trillion to the debt of the nation during his tenure as president.

Ramaswamy was the one who received the most criticism after his stellar performance in the August debate. Scott, DeSantis and Mike Pence, former vice president, ganged together at one point to attack the 38-year old political newcomer over his business ties with China and foreign policy which would cede Eastern Ukraine and perhaps Taiwan to China. Pence stated, 'I am glad Vivek backed out of his China business deal.' It must have been around the time that you started voting in presidential elections.

Haley's scathing criticism of each candidate was dominant. She attacked Mr. Ramaswamy for his naivety and stupidity on foreign policy. Then she shifted to Mr. DeSantis, who opposed fracking, offshore oil drilling, and energy exploration in a state that has always prioritized beaches over energy exploration. Finally, Ms. Haley turned to Mr. Scott and criticized his record of government spending.

Former Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley

Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida has been announcing his plans to run for re-election. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has

Recently said

He has spoken out against fracking and offshore drilling in Florida before.

Check out the complete fact-check.

Donald Trump is not in action.

FOX Business

Nikki Haley attacks Vivek Ramaswamy.

FOX Business

Mike Pence makes some jokes.

FOX Business

Nikki Haley squabbles with Tim Scott.

FOX Business

Chris Christie criticizes Trump for not finishing his border wall.

FOX Business

Ron DeSantis's comments on the 'left-wing prosecutors'

FOX Business

"America is not racist."

FOX Business

You're afraid to defend your record on stage.

FOX Business

Nikki Haley's economic plan

FOX Business

Tim Scott attacks Vivek Ramaswamy.

FOX Business

Ilia Caderon (right) at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, Calif. on Wednesday.

Credit...

Etienne Laurent/EPA, via Shutterstock

She asked about hate crimes committed against L.G.B.T.Q. She questioned candidates about their anti-immigration remarks in the past and got involved in a Florida dispute over public school standards that implied slaves had developed skills which could, in some cases, be used for their own benefit.

Ilia Caderon was one of three moderators for the Republican primary debate on Wednesday. Some viewers of Fox News or Fox Business may not be familiar with her. Her questions seemed to have caught some candidates by surprise and touched on views that aren't often expressed by Fox's conservative prime time hosts or leading Republican politicians.

Ms. Calderon is 51 and a coanchor for Univision's nightly newscast. Univision co-hosted this debate with Fox News Media, and the proceedings were broadcast in Spanish. Univision producers retained editorial control over Ms. Calderon's questions.

She began by pointing out that Ronald Reagan's presidential library, which hosted the event at its invitation, had granted amnesty for nearly three million immigrant. Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor, was asked about

a quip he made in 2015

FedEx can track packages, so why not immigrants? (Mr. Christie responded, 'We have to treat this as a law enforcement issue,' without commenting on FedEx's remark.

Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, disputed Ms. Calderon’s question regarding his state’s new African American standards. He called her premise an 'hoax' perpetrated by Kamala Haris. (

It is a fact

The quotation was taken directly from the standards. The question led directly to one of the most memorable moments of that evening. Senator Tim Scott, South Carolina's only Black candidate, declared, "There is no redeeming quality to slavery," drawing sustained applause by the audience.

Conservatives who were watching took offense. "Another strange question," a conservative Daily Signal reporter said.

Write on X

Twitter was formerly called Twitter after Ms. Calderon questioned former Vice President Mike Pence on violent hate crimes committed against L.G.B.T.Q. people.

Most candidates didn't directly answer Ms. Calderon’s questions. Ms. Calderon, along with fellow moderators Dana Perino from Fox News and Stuart Varney from Fox Business, had trouble keeping order several times. Candidates repeatedly interrupted questions and talked over each other, forcing Ms. Perino to remind them of the rules.

She warned that she didn't want the mic to be cut.

Calderon is a Colombian native who began her career in Medellin as a journalist. She joined Telemundo's evening news show in 2001, and in 2017 she became co-host. She moderated the Democratic Primary Debate in March 2020 along with CNN's Dana Bash, Jake Tapper and other CNN journalists.

ET

ET

Anjali Huynh

Reporting on national politics

Ron DeSantis, in a Fox News post-debate interview with Sean Hannity suggested that Hannity moderate a one-on-1 debate between him and Donald Trump. This would be similar to the debate which will take place between DeSantis, the California Governor, and Gavin Newsom. DeSantis stated that he thought Trump owed it to his voters to make his case.

Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina

The State Department allocated $52,701 to install customized window curtains at the apartment in a high-rise building shortly before Nikki R. Haley was appointed ambassador to the United Nations. These decisions were taken by the State Department under the Obama administration, not Ms. Haley.

The second G.O.P. Candidates at the second G.O.P.

Credit...

Todd Heisler/The New York Times

The choice of topics by the moderators was perhaps the most surprising part of the Republican debate on Wednesday.

The Fox Business Network hosts were not serving up the usual fare for the candidates. They continued to ask them questions about the growing concerns of Latinos regarding gun violence, income inequality and child care, as well as the possibility of giving citizenship to undocumented immigrant.

The questions were in stark contrast with those asked at the debate held in Milwaukee last month. The candidates in Milwaukee were asked the typical conservative questions that are more common for such forums, including George Soros and abortion bans.

This time, Fox was not the sole moderator. Univision's Ilia Caderon was also at the table, sharing the moderator role. She pushed the debate outside of Republican comfort zones with questions such as 'a pathway to citizenship for 11,000,000 undocumented migrants,' and how to deal with the ending of DACA immigration policies, in addition to bankruptcies due to the rising cost of healthcare.

Stuart Varney, Fox Business host and moderator, asked former vice president Mike Pence: "The richest one percent controls now one-fifth all income." You said that you support American workers. You also support the way these companies are run. Which one is it?

Dana Perino - who was White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush, and is now a Fox News host - asked Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina about his position on the cost of childcare.

She said, 'You tried to expand eligibility for child-care assistance. That failed.' What can you say to the worried parents out there if you weren't able get this through Congress - how would you be able do it as President?

Calderon was the star of the evening.

She asked Gov. Doug Burgum, North Dakota: 'Is your plan specific to reduce gun violence?

The sharp questions didn't always bring sharp answers.

Mr. Burgum, a former North Dakota governor who in 2021 signed a proclamation naming North Dakota as a "Second Amendment Sanctuary State," retorted with a familiar response. He said that the solution to gun violence was to "get back to mental and behavioral health."

Ron DeSantis, Florida's Governor

Since early 2022 the United States have sent over $26 billion to Ukraine in economic assistance, a large portion of which is for what's known as "direct budget support." Ukraine's government uses this money to fund essential operations such as schools, hospitals, and firefighting. The money is also used to support the economy of Ukraine.

Last year, the number of people who voted for President decreased by 30 percent

After the Russian invasion.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is also involved.

Small Ukrainian businesses can benefit from financial assistance

To keep them afloat. The goal is to avoid an economic and a social collapse, which could lead quickly to a military defeat. Ukraine cannot survive without economic assistance.

-- Former Vice President Mike Pence

Energy independence is a political term. It doesn't mean the United States does not import oil. That hasn't happened in almost a century. Some people, especially politicians, use the phrase to mean the United States exports a greater amount of energy than they import. The milestone was reached in 2019 during the Trump administration. However, most energy experts attribute the success to the fracking boom that occurred over the past decade rather than any Trump-era policies.

Check out the complete fact-check.

Vivek RAMASWAMY on a screen at the Simi Valley debate, Calif. on Wednesday.

Credit...

Haiyun Jiang, The New York Times

Vivek Ramaswamy stood out in the first Republican debate last month. He was targeted in the second debate, which took place on Wednesday.

Nikki Haley and Tim Scott, as well as the usually mild-mannered Mike Pence, all made snide remarks about Mr. Ramaswamy. He is a 38-year old entrepreneur who is a political novice and has taken some populist positions which defy Republican ideology.

The attacks were wide-ranging and brutal. Mr. Ramaswamy's business dealings with China and his promise to cut off Ukraine's aid were all attacked.

"Honestly, each time I hear you I feel dumber," Ms. Haley told him, criticizing the use of TikTok.

Scott's response to the question of why he did not agree with Ramaswamy on his pledge to stop birthright citizenship for children of undocumented migrants was to refer to Ramaswamy’s performance in their last debate.

Scott added that he could not understand why Mr. Ramaswamy would say this when he had done business with the "Chinese Communist Party" and the people who funded Hunter Biden's millions of dollars.

Mr. Ramaswamy claimed that he pulled his company from China while other C.E.O.s did not. But Mr. Pence pressed on, pointing out that Mr. Ramaswamy admitted he had not voted until fairly recently.

Pence stated, 'I'm glad Vivek backed out of his 2018 business deal in China.' It must have been at the same time that you started voting in presidential election.

ET

ET

Reid Epstein

Reporting on Biden's campaign

Sean Hannity said on the Fox Postgame Show that there were "a couple of people" who had no business on stage. He didn't name any names.

ET

ET

Lisa Lerer

Reporting on national politics

Some people had an excellent night -- Haley Scott and DeSantis, for example -- but this doesn't change the fact that the front-runner is leading by about 40 points. We'll see the majority of this crowd again. Next time, Miami.

ET

ET

Reid Epstein

Reporting on Biden's campaign

This debate proved that Nikki Haley, Chris Christie and other debaters are the best at creating memorable moments. Haley's two excellent debate performances will probably not matter much given Trump's considerable advantage.

ET

ET

Gavin Newsom, the California governor, joins Fox News to discuss the debate.

Ron DeSantis, Florida's Governor

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Florida as the best state in America.

Top state for education

The state ranks No. 1 in higher education. The publication gives Florida's public colleges and universities a high ranking for their relatively low tuition fees. The publication ranks Florida as the 14th best state for pre-K-12 education.

ET

ET

Alan Rappeport

Washington reporter

It's over.

ET

ET

Alan Rappeport

Washington reporter

Ramaswamy believes that while it's important to respect Trump's legacy, the time has come to move his America First policies to the next stage.

Former Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley

According to the Congressional Research Service, Congress has only approved its required appropriations on time four times in 46 years.

Pew Research Center

Last time it happened was in 1997.

ET

ET

Alan Rappeport

Washington reporter

Christie told Ramaswamy who was interrupting him, 'I still have time, dude. So chill out.

ET

ET

Alan Rappeport

Washington reporter

Christie said he would vote Donald Trump right away off the island because he refused to debate.

ET

Sept. 27, 2023