The fifth Republican presidential debate started and ended with barbed exchanges between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, with neither likely to have moved closer to eclipsing frontrunner Donald Trump in the Iowa caucus next week.
The Florida governor condemned Haley for running “to do her donors’ bidding” and the former UN ambassador called DeSantis a habitual liar. The early tone in the Iowa debate matched prior Republican debates, which were frequently hostile, with candidates hurling personal attacks at one another.