Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley came out swinging during Wednesday's fifth 2024 Republican Primary Debate with each trading barbs as the two emerged as Donald Trump's biggest challengers in the upcoming Iowa Caucus.
With just 3 days to go before the polls open in Iowa, DeSantis duked it out with Haley onstage at Drake University in Des Moines, while the former President stayed on the sidelines as he did for the other four debates.
DeSantis got things rolling as he stood at a lectern next to Haley, slamming her and Trump in response to questions by CNN moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.
The Florida governor said, “Donald Trump’s running to pursue his issues. Nikki Haley’s running to pursue her donors’ issues. I’m running to pursue your issues and your family’s issues.”
DeSantis then isolated his attack to Haley, saying, “We don’t need another mealy-mouthed politician who just tells you what she thinks you want to hear.”
The ex-South Carolina governor landed some jabs of her own, calling DeSantis a liar at one point and needling him for losing his donors to her.
“He’s only mad about the donors because the donors used to be with him, but they’re no longer with him,” Haley said, adding, “His campaign is exploding.”
The insults didn't stop there. DeSantis mocked Haley for having a "problem with ballistic podiatry, shooting herself in the foot every other day."
Haley, as you know, stumbled over her Civil War comments, failing to name slavery as the trigger for the conflict and was roasted by the media as she had to clarify what she meant.
When they weren't at each other's throats, the two candidates discussed a range of issues, such as abortion, immigration, foreign affairs and the January 6th Capitol riots.
All of this came on the heels of fellow Republican Chris Christie dropping out of the race Wednesday, as he was caught on a hot mic explaining that Haley was going to get "smoked" by Trump in the primary race.