‘You’re just scum’: Republicans tussle in fierce debate without Trump

Vivek Ramaswamy was called “scum”, Nikki Haley clarified she wore five-inch heels, Tim Scott introduced his girlfriend Mindy and Ron DeSantis offered tepid criticism of former President Donald Trump.

All were key moments in the third Republican debate for the presidency.

Five candidates qualified, but Mr Trump again skipped the event.

He held a nearby rally instead where he called the debates “unwatchable” and said the party was “wasting time”.

The five candidates who qualified for the stage were entrepreneur Mr Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Governor Ms Haley, US Senator Mr Scott, Florida Governor DeSantis and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Despite his absence, Mr Trump’s presence was felt in the room – he was the topic of the first question from moderators – but his challengers still appeared more interested in criticising each other than the former president.

Gov DeSantis and Ms Haley both said that Mr Trump was a good candidate in 2016, but the times had changed.

Referencing Tuesday’s elections, which were tough for Republican candidates, Mr DeSantis took one of the few pointed swings at the former president: “Donald Trump said we’d get tired of winning – I’m sick of Republicans losing.”

Ms Haley asserted Mr Trump had gone “weak in the knees” on foreign policy.

But that was the extent of the strong attack lines for Mr Trump. As the debate continued, it appeared the favoured target became Ms Haley.

The former US ambassador to the United Nations has risen in the polls in recent weeks, and her new position drew broadsides from her counterparts in Miami.

The fiercest policy debate came between Ms Haley and Mr DeSantis, who tangled over their records on China and energy independence. Her fiercest rhetorical wrangling, however, was saved for Mr Ramaswamy.

A regular critic of Ms Haley and a supporter of a more isolationist foreign policy approach, Mr Ramaswamy described her as “the sharpest of war hawks” and “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels”.

Ms Haley clarified that she wore five-inch heels.

But it was his attack on Ms Haley for her daughter’s use of TikTok that drew the sharpest rebuke from his opponent and the audience.

“Leave my daughter out of your voice,” Ms Haley said.

After a series of boos for Mr Ramaswamy that he attempted to talk over, Ms Haley added as an aside: “You’re just scum.”

It was a tough night overall for Mr Ramaswamy, who also chose to take a poorly received swipe at Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. He called the wartime leader a “comedian in cargo pants” while claiming Ukraine “celebrated a Nazi in its ranks”. His campaign later clarified to NBC News that Mr Ramaswamy was not calling President Zelensky a “Nazi,” rather he was referring to a September incident in Canada when the country’s parliament celebrated a Ukrainian-Canadian Second World War veteran.

It was later discovered that the elderly man had served in a Nazi-affiliated military unit.

Image source, Reuters

For Mr Scott, who has struggled in the polls, his most talked about moment on the debate stage did not occur while he stood alongside his opponents.

Instead, the greatest media attention came after the debate had ended and he brought girlfriend Mindy Noce to the stage.

The long-time bachelor had never appeared publicly with a significant other and provided vague answers when asked about it.

On Wednesday night, Mr Scott took Ms Noce by the hand and then wrapped his arms around her as they took photos together on the debate stage, later noting they had been seeing each other for about a year.