Trump targeted as Republicans stage debate

SIMI VALLEY, USA

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump stepped into a hornet’s nest in Wednesday’s debate as rivals turned their sights on the billionaire, while Carly Fiorina showed she had earned her place on the main stage.

Ten challengers flanked Mr Trump on stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, seeking an opening against the man who has defied all political odds to lead the race for the party’s nomination ahead of the November 2016 election.

“Mr Trump, we don’t need an apprentice in the White House, we have one right now,” Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker told Trump — a snarky reference to the title of the real estate mogul’s reality television show.

CLASHED EXTENSIVELY

Mr Trump swiftly returned fire, living up to his billing as the campaign bulldog by attacking his rivals, further imposing himself on the race to determine who will battle the Democratic nominee, likely Hillary Clinton, for the presidency.

“In Wisconsin I went to number one, and you went down the tubes,” Mr Trump retorted, highlighting Walker’s slumping poll numbers.

The remarks near the beginning of the marathon three-hour debate kicked off several minutes of Trump-related thrusts and parries that have so far defined much of the 2016 presidential race.

The event’s 11 candidates clashed extensively on issues including immigration, how to handle a looming government shutdown, and dealing with Russia.

PASSIONATE CALLS

Many, like early presumptive frontrunner Jeb Bush, were under intense pressure to deliver a breakout performance — or risk a campaign meltdown that could see them shunted aside as the first state nomination votes in February draw nearer.

Ms Fiorina, the sole woman in the Republican race, delivered by many accounts a command performance.

The former Chief Executive of technology giant Hewlett-Packard offered passionate calls for defunding women’s health care provider Planned Parenthood, a publicly-funded organization that offers abortions.

WITHERING RESPONSE
She also delivered a withering response to Trump’s insulting comments about her looks in a recent magazine interview, offering him a cold stare and earning loud applause.

Fiorina dominated the middle portion of the debate, showing command of military figures, slamming Clinton for what she called a lack of accomplishments, delivering an emotional call for increased drug treatment as she recalled losing a child to addiction and hitting Trump over his business practices.