Who won the main Fox debate?

[SillyAmerican]

My take on the performances.

Donald Trump: It was nice not having Trump's entertainment factor on the stage. He probably did himself and the other candidates a favor by staying away.

Chris Christie: I think Christie had the best night of those on stage. When Cruz and Rubio got into it over immigration, Christie was good at pointing out that it's fine for Senators to argue in that way, but that Governors have to lead. So he made sure everyone understood that he’s a Governor, and as such is ready to act as the country's executive. And his closing statement about being the candidate most qualified to protect the country was quite powerful.

Rand Paul: Paul did a very nice job of laying out his positions for viewers, and making the case that he was the one fiscal conservative on the stage. He had a large number of supporters in the audience, which served to help solidify the impression that he did well.

Jeb Bush: Jeb actually had a decent night, perhaps because he didn't need to worry about Trump jabs. Unfortunately, he really didn't have any particularly memorable moments, so for the Bush campaign, I believe it's a case of too little too late. We'll see how things go for Bush in the early voting states, but my sense is he's going nowhere.

Marco Rubio: It was not a good night for Senator Rubio. When he spoke, it was both rushed and a bit shrill. His tussle with Cruz was tiring. Normally, I like Marco's style, but his performance at this debate was not a help to him.

Ted Cruz: Ted tried to take an early swipe at Trump, but his effort fell flat. A little later, he whined that all the questions were an attack on him. The only halfway decent exchange was between Cruz and Rubio over immigration, but I happen to agree with Rubio that the issue is moot until the flow of illegal immigrants is addressed. Ted is generally good at debates, but in this case, he only served to illustrate why he's so unlikable.

Ben Carson: Carson did a nice job, but I don't think this debate format is his strong suit, so I don't see how this performance helps him.

John Kasich: Kasich did a nice job, but I'm not sure it will make any difference in his current standings.