The Republican Debate Is Going To Be A Wild Free-For-All

GOP Debate, Republican Debate

Republican presidential hopefuls will square off once more during Thursday’s Fox Business debate in South Carolina, where they’ll have one of their last chances to knock out a rival on live television, less than three weeks before the crucial Iowa caucuses

Only seven candidates made the cut to appear on the main stage in Charleston, S.C.: Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Donald Trump, John Kasich and Ben Carson. Lindsey Graham, who participated in the last GOP debate, dropped out last month. And Carly Fiorina and Rand Paul failed to clear the moderator’s polling qualifications, and have been relegated to an earlier, smaller debate with Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum

Paul, however, is boycotting the event. The Kentucky Republican objects to Fox Business’ entrance criteria, which relied on national polls, that he says unfairly counted him out of the main debate. Indeed, it appears he's making a fair argument. The senator told CNN earlier this week that he will not “participate in anything that's not first tier because we have a first tier campaign,” and will rather be holding events in other early nominating states

Unlike the previous Fox Business debate in November, where both candidates and moderators struck a decidedly civil tone, the gathering on Thursday evening is likely be more of a raucous affair. With what appears to be a toss-up in polling between Trump and Cruz in Iowa, and a bare-knuckle brawl for the establishment lane between multiple candidates in New Hampshire, campaigns will be under significantly more pressure to land solid hits against their rivals for the GOP nomination

Already, the crowded race has turned into a wild free-for-all. Candidates and their super PACs have shifted resources from mostly positive, biographical introductions in favor of negative attacks and advertisements on everything from flip-flops to each other’s fashion choices