Who won in Christie vs Rubio tonight?

[Nyvin]

Is this question even worthy of being a poll?

[Maxwell]

Kasich.   Just like how Kerry won the fighting between Dean and Gephardt in 2004

As someone who is routinely mocked for my enthusiastic support for Kasich, no. He is running a happy campaign in a year when the bases of both parties are angry. His performance tonight was sorely lacking. I think he sees the writing on the wall, that 2016 is not his year, that the GOP now belongs to the angry populists and True Conservatives, and after his poor showing on Tuesday, he will pack up his bags and go home to finish out his term. He finished this debate respectably, but respectability has been dead in the 2016 GOP primaries for months now.

R.I.P. Kasich 2016 campaign. At least you tried.

I'm a Kasich hater, but his performance tonight was respectable, if maybe not right to win. His performance will be good enough to keep him a potential power broker later on and maybe a Vice President or a cabinet choice that will easily sail through the Senate. Same with Jeb Bush (though not on the VP, he'd be a shoe-in for Education Secretary).

[Reginald]

Just watched it on youtube. Brutal.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

Christie, but it won't hurt Rubio

I can't agree here.  Rubio turned in possibly the worst debate performance of any candidate this year.  He wasn't "clutch" and he got shanked.  Bad.  He quadrupled down on an argument that clearly wasn't getting any crowd support, and which, however accurate (the idea that Obama know what he's doing and it's to deliberately give us an unwanted makeover), was lost on the audience.  If I were an Establishment Donor, I'd be thinking long and hard before I prop this guy up with my hard-earned cash.

[Hydera]

I could get used to Christie bantering rubio anyday.

[PaperKooper]

It was a mild win for Christie, but only because the audience was on his side.  Rubio might not gain any more in the polls, but Christie didn't win any supporters by attacking Rubio.

[ElectionsGuy]

That was painful to watch.

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

It was a mild win for Christie, but only because the audience was on his side.  Rubio might not gain any more in the polls, but Christie didn't win any supporters by attacking Rubio.

I agree with this.  Strongly, in fact.  Christie moved the needle, but that much for himself.  He moved the needle backward for Rubio and, by standing still, Ted Cruz may well finish 2nd in New Hampshire, while the Establishment Pack is all at 10-12%.  Christie may have done more for Jeb! than for himself when it all shakes out.

[This account no longer in use.]

Let's dispel with this fiction that Chris Christie doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing.

[IceSpear]

I'm guessing the people who voted Rubio were trolling, misclicked, or had a lobotomy. On that point, let's dispel with this fiction that Rubio voters don't know what they're doing. They know exactly what they're doing.

[trickmind]

What's worse is that this attack line that Rubio is "scripted" had been getting circled by the Governors for the last couple days, Rubio should have been more prepared (by adding say 100 extra words to his 500 word vocabulary).

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Christie beat Marco's rear-end right on the stage, and he's getting ready to serve him with a subpoena. Absolutely brutal domination.

[GLPman]

Is it even worth asking? Christie pinned Rubio to the wall and took his lunch money.

[Lyin' Steve]

Who won in the Battle of Waterloo?

* Napoleon
* The Duke of Wellington

[SillyAmerican]

Christie, but it won't hurt Rubio

I can't agree here.  Rubio turned in possibly the worst debate performance of any candidate this year.  He wasn't "clutch" and he got shanked.  Bad.  He quadrupled down on an argument that clearly wasn't getting any crowd support, and which, however accurate (the idea that Obama know what he's doing and it's to deliberately give us an unwanted makeover), was lost on the audience.  If I were an Establishment Donor, I'd be thinking long and hard before I prop this guy up with my hard-earned cash.

Agreed. Christie was much better in this particular exchange. Rubio kept repeating his canned response against Obama, even after Chris Christie pointed out what he was doing. I really hope either Kasich or Christie does well in New Hampshire, because Christie's statement about the difference between the experience of a Governor and a Senator rings very true.