How do you think the debate next week will turn out?

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I know obviously we aren't psychic so we can't say who will "win" or "lose", what I mean in asking this is who do you think will go after who in the debate since it looks like Trump, Bush, Walker, Rubio, Huckabee, Paul, Christie, Carson, Cruz, and Kasich (still iffy on this but let's assume so) will be in the debates.

I think it will end up like this:
Everyone (except Cruz) will go after Trump.
Everyone will go after Bush (especially Trump).
Paul and Christie will really get into it.
I can see Rubio and Paul getting somewhat into it.
On some aspects of social issues I can see Huckabee and Paul getting into it, same with Paul and Cruz.

[JonathanSwift]

All candidates will put forth their ideas in a civil, rational manner without resorting to personal attacks.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Graham will parachute in and steal the show.

[Bojack Horseman]

Maggie, my German Shepherd, has announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination, just so that she'll be the only one on that stage not to say something completely stupid.

[RJEvans]

All guns on Trump. Bush or Rubio will emerge as a calm and collected leader among the pack. Trump will say something controversial.

[dudeabides]

I believe this debate will be an opportunity for most of the candidates to share their visions for the country. Governor Christie is very good at debates, he will probably do the best style wise. Substance wise, I expect Governor Bush to do the best. I also expect Governor Huckabee to have some great one liners.

Donald Trump will have a horrible performance, he will have a lot of gaffes, he will dodge questions, and he will be all over late night TV for months.

My guess is Governor Bush will take subtle jabs at Trump, while Rick Perry will be the harshest Trump critic. Rand Paul will be the toughest critic of Jeb Bush. Bush and Rubio won't engage each other at all. Cruz will attack "the establishment." Trump will attack Bush, Perry, Rubio, and possibly Christie. Ben Carson will be a complete flop, but no one will talk about it because Trump will be an even bigger flop.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

Trump should also vehemently attack Walker, who is the only one leading him in Iowa.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Trump has surprised us multiple times so far, so I wouldn't be too surprised if he some how manages to do well in the debate.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I hope it's a debate with fair questions to all candidates, but I have a bad feeling this is going to be the Trump show.

[Smash255]

Complete Circus

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Welcome to the Trump show....guest starring Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, John Kasich, and Scott Walker!!!!

[Mehmentum]

Walker has a non-zero chance of having a massive 'Oops' style flub.

Rick Perry (if he's in it) also has a chance of another Oops moment.

Trump steals the show, though Cruz will do very well.  Rubio and Paul will come off as bland and uninteresting.  Bush will do competently, not bad but not remarkably good.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Off topic here....but Trump, according to St. Pete poll has a 6% lead in Florida atm.

[MATTROSE94]

I hope it's a debate with fair questions to all candidates, but I have a bad feeling this is going to be the Trump show.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Trump's years of "reality" TV experience will pay off, as he demonstrates control and a superb ability to nettle his opponents, landing a few blow that the talking heads see as "low" but his supporters love.

Jeb is obviously rehearsed, but in a good way. The talking heads comment that "he looked presidential", even though he doesn't really gain ground as a result of the debate.

Walker will either wallflower, or stick a leg in his mouth and start chewing. My money is on the latter.

Rubio is a little nervous and it shows, but he conducts himself well. May also manage to stay above the melee.

Cruz will likely both mention his father, and lose his temper when one of the other candidates takes a jab at him. This could help him, if he's seen as being rightfully angry over a pesonal attack, or damage him badly, if he comes across as a loose cannon who's ready to fly off the handle rather than play the game like an adult. The only way this doesn't happen is if there's no time for it due to the large number of candidates.

Paul will either be a wallflower, or will say something stupid and obviously pandering that will anger as many current supporters as it will attract new ones.

Huckabee will be brash and confrontational, attacking the other candidates for being insufficiently zealous culture warriors. May get confused and forget this isn't his FOX News show.

Carson having seen Trump and Huckabee in action, Carson decides to sieze the limelight and speak his mind, leaving other candidates wincing.

Christie gets the wind taken out of his sails and much of his thunder stolen. May end up getting more flak from the other candidates than Trump. (Christie can't even plausibly bolt and wreck the election, while Trump can.)

Kaisich sounds reasonable while presenting the generic Republican pitch (families and finance). His best moments are when he stays above the squabbling, which could help if the debate descends into a brawl.

Perry comes across better than any of his previous debates, but still fails to shine. His support notches up.

[Mister Mets]

My guess is that someone in the kid's table debate will end up getting into the top ten, partly through their own efforts but also due to the possibility that the main debate is such a debacle, many involced take a hit to their reputations.

[andrew_c]

Everyone against Trump because he steals the show.

[Mr. Morden]

I'm assuming that most of the candidates subscribe to the conventional wisdom that Trump isn't going to win the nomination.  Thus, they don't need to actually attack him in order to get him to drop in the polls.  Just because he's leading in the polls, doesn't mean he's going to be a target.  They're figuring that he's going to implode on his own anyway, so they don't need to waste their time on him.  OTOH, he's sucking the oxygen out of the room, so the 2nd/3rd tier candidates may want him out faster, and/or they may see an advantage is defining themselves against him, just like the other candidates beat up on Paul on foreign policy in the 08/12 debates.  And of course, Trump will attack all the other candidates, so they'll be prompted to respond.

But I still think it's possible that the other candidates will spend more time attacking the opponents who they see as more of a real threat to win the nomination--Bush and Walker.

On Trump, I am curious to see if he behaves himself at all.  Will he stop talking when the moderator says his time is up?  Will he follow any rules whatsoever, or just do whatever he wants?

[Mr. Morden]

I think 2000 may have been the first primary campaign in which the networks developed this innovation in time management in a crowded primary field debate: If you attack another candidate, they get 30 seconds to respond even if it isn't their turn.  This has the effect of giving the top tier candidates more speaking time, and gives less time to the 9th and 10th place candidates, who no one ever bothers attacking.

I don't know if this debate will have that rule, but I'm guessing it probably will.

[dmmidmi]

I have to go with the consensus--Trump will run the show. If the other candidates take a confrontational approach to him, they'll come off looking ridiculous.

Jeb will probably be well-rehearsed--I'd guess that he has both a high floor and low ceiling, with respect to his debate performance.

I have no idea what to expect from Walker.

Rubio will come off as a bit nervous, but won't say anything damaging, either.

Cruz might see a spike in polling--I expect him to exceed everybody's expectations, and do reasonably well.

Huckabee will probably say something inflammatory, and further derail his "campaign."

The others will be supporting cast members.

[Eraserhead]

Trump will decimate the rest of the basic bitches on the stage with him.

[Torie]

Trump will decimate the rest of the basic bitches on the stage with him.

Is this your real, or "ironic" view?

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The GOP debates are about who can be the loudest and most belligerent. Come on down Trump and Christie.

[dmmidmi]

The GOP debates are about who can be the loudest and most belligerent. Come on down Trump and Christie.

There's no way Christie can win that battle. Trump is, by far, the bigger @sshole.

[Likely Voter]

One thing to keep in mind is podium position which is likely to be determined by poll position. The guys in the center are seen as the most important subliminally and will also likely get the most airtime. Here is an approximation....


Kasich   Carson   Huckabee   Rubio   Bush   Trump   Walker      Paul      Cruz      Christie