Cruz, Rubio clash over immigration

DES MOINES — In an impassioned back-and-forth, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio accused one another during Thursday night's nationally televised Republican presidential debate of shifting their views on immigration.

But New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie mocked the U.S. senators' jousting, saying he needed 'a Washington-to-English converter.'

The GOP candidates — most of them, anyway — at the Iowa Events Center participated in what will be the final presidential debate before Iowa and New Hampshire voters kick off the presidential nominating process.

Missing from the stage in downtown Des Moines was Republican polling front-runner Donald Trump, who skipped it over his objection including to Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly. He instead held an event across town at Drake University.

In a statement, Fox News said Trump 'offered to appear at the debate upon the condition that Fox News contribute $5 million to his charities.' But the network said, 'We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason.'

Most polls on the GOP field in Iowa show a close race between Trump and Cruz. Rubio has been a consistent third, but well behind.

Perhaps their standing atop the polls — and Trump's absence — fueled the exchange between Cruz and Rubio over immigration policy. Each candidate accused the other of shifting his views over time, particularly on how to treat the estimated 12 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

'We're not going to beat Hillary Clinton with someone who's willing to say or do anything to win an election,' Rubio said to Cruz.

Cruz countered by noting Rubio's work on legislation, which ultimately failed, that would have provided a 13-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Christie said the exchange was an example of why the next president should come from a governor's office.

'Stop the Washington bull and let's get things done,' he said.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also chimed in on the immigration debate, saying he supported Rubio's Senate bill and accused Rubio of eventually bailing on the bill.

'Then he cut and run because it wasn't popular among conservatives, I guess,' Bush said. 'We should have a path to legal status. … I think that's the conservative, consistent, pragmatic response.'

With Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad in the audience — who has urged defeat of Cruz because of his stance on ethanol — Cruz was pressed on the issue. Cruz said what much as he has said before — that the government should not 'pick winners and losers' with subsidizing any part of the energy industry.

Many debate questions focused on foreign policy and national security.

Answering questions on how to address the Middle East terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State, Cruz stood by his campaign remarks that he wants to 'carpet bomb' terrorists and make 'the sand glow.' He said his strategy as president would be to 'define the enemy, rebuild the military to defeat the enemy, and lift the rules of engagement.'

Rand Paul prescribed caution against waging war against both the Islamic State and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Paul said toppling Assad would leave a void that could be filled by an even larger and stronger Islamic State.

Paul also reiterated his opposition to the bulk collection of data used by government surveillance agencies.

'The bulk collection and invasion of privacy did not stop one terrorist attack,' Paul said. 'I don't think we need to give up liberty in the name of a false sense of security.'

Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon who has slipped from among the leaders in Iowa polls, defended his lack of political experience. He said his experience as a surgeon prepared him for taking on big problems and making big decisions.

'We need people who think outside of the box and can solve problems, can utilize resources around them, can focus on the problem and solve the problem,' Carson said. 'The American people are terrified. … We don't need more of the same solutions.'

Ohio Gov. John Kasich was asked about the water crisis in his neighboring state of Michigan. Kasich said such a crisis requires rapid response from executives.

'Every single engine of government has to move when you see a crisis like that,' he said. 'People at home are saying they got a problem, listen to them. Because most of the time they are absolutely correct.'