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Cruz, Clinton in best financial shape headed into voting

Marco Rubio has emerged as the favorite of elite GOP donors, but the White House hopeful who scares them most ― Ted Cruz ― is in the best financial shape of any candidate in the Republican field headed into a potentially protracted battle for the nomination, according to a POLITICO analysis.

Last night’s GOP debate featured seven candidates on the main stage and one noticeable absence. While partisans of each candidate are ready to explain why their man won, there seems to be a consensus that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush did the best; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio did very well too; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had a rough night but did OK; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul made the most of their opportunity and likely ... Read More >>

Six takeaways from the Iowa Republican debate

No, he didn’t show up, but the rest of the Republican presidential field debated anyway. Here are six takeaways from the final GOP debate before the Iowa caucuses on Monday.

Who Won the Republican Debate? Critics Call Ted Cruz Flat but Jeb Bush Better

With Donald J. Trump absent from the debate stage, critics had a chance to focus on the rest of the Republican field. While the verdicts varied, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was seen as starting strong but fading late, while Senator Marco Rubio of Florida had his moments but grew testy at times when faced with tough questions. Some thought Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, had one of his most energetic performances, while the retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson barely registered.

GOP insiders: It was a rough night for Ted Cruz

In the final debate before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, Ted Cruz had the worst night of the seven GOP presidential candidates on stage Thursday .

That’s according to a plurality of the Republican members of The POLITICO Caucus – a panel of strategists, operatives and activists in Iowa and the other three February-voting states: New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

A cluster of Republican candidates strategizing to win the moderate “lane” in the primary in pursuit of a one-on-one showdown with Donald Trump for the nomination may be in for a rude awakening.

Trump, according to a flurry of early-state and national polls, is the overwhelming favorite of self-identified moderate and liberal Republican voters. Among more conservative voters, he often trails his chief rival for the nomination, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

With Donald Trump a few miles away at his own event, the remaining seven candidates took advantage of the extra oxygen to audition to be the Republican’s general-election stalwart and commander-in-chief. In a vigorous but relatively newsless debate, there was no discernable sign that the fundamentals of the race changed. But as candidates took advantage of the shifted dynamic, Iowans got a valuable sense of the field and a sharper look at their choices.