The tides have certainly changed in the Republican primary contest. Once-considered front-runners Jeb Bush and Chris Christie have been relegated to podiums on the far end of the stage in recent GOP debates, receiving only the occasional pity question from moderators.
And on Thursday night in Las Vegas, Donald Trump was up to his usual bullying tactics. But his remarks were largely overshadowed by the showdown of the evening: Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
The two are similar in many ways, and both are considered serious contenders for the Republican nomination. Rubio represents the Republican establishment, corporate influence, bipartisan efforts, and Washington bureaucracy.
Although the Rubio is quite young, he has been in the conversation for the presidency since 2012. The RNC believes he can bridge the gaps between conservatives and Hispanic voters through his heritage and support of amnesty for immigrants.
Cruz, on the other hand, is a classic political "outsider." Throughout his career in the Senate, Cruz has made a concerted effort to block legislation, step out of line with his fellow Republicans and exploit the Republican base's fears to his own political gain. He even orchestrated the shutdown of the entire government over a budget dispute. The candidate is also a fierce opponent of illegal immigration. Needless to say, those who are fed up with Washington welcome Cruz's tenacity with open arms.
The difference between the candidates was made clear in a heated exchange during Thursday's debate. Though Cruz had his run-ins with plenty of other candidates, his showdown with Rubio over tax policy most clearly illustrated the chasm in the party and the difficulty in nominating a candidate. Will Cruz's firebrand, evangelical conservatism win him the nomination, or will Rubio's hawkish, pro-business, pro-amnesty positions secure him the position?
Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary under George W. Bush said,"Ted Cruz won, thanks to how strong he was especially at the beginning, taking on Trump over the citizenship nonsense. Good close, too.
"Trump was Trump and that means he had a good night. I give him a 60 percent shot of being the G.O.P. nominee."
