GREENVILLE, S.C. – Setting aside
personality clashes for a night, the Republican Party's 2016 contest
shifted to substance Friday as a slate of White House hopefuls vowed to
steer the nation sharply to the right as they courted conservatives in
battleground South Carolina.
They promised to eliminate federal departments that regulate
education and environmental protection, called on congressional leaders
to block federal funding from Planned Parenthood even if it triggers a
government shutdown, and endorsed policies that reduce the number of
unwed mothers.
"Just once, Republicans should nominate someone who is as committed
to conservative principles as Barack Obama is committed to liberal
principles," Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told a crowd of thousands gathered in a
South Carolina arena.
Ten candidates were featured at the event just two days after the
GOP's 2016 class met for its second debate, a California faceoff that
exposed deep rifts between the candidates on immigration, foreign policy
and the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage. Yet the debate,
like much of the early 2016 primary season, devolved at many times to a
battle of personalities — with brash billionaire Donald Trump the
leading antagonist.
Trump was a late scratch for Friday's presidential forum, hosted by
Heritage Action for America, the political arm of a Washington-based
conservative think.
Even among a friendly crowd, there were tense moments.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush triggered boos when he defended his
early support for the Common Core education standards, a policy
developed by state leaders in both parties that has become a target of
tea party ire.
"I'm for higher standards, and Common Core standards are higher than
the standards that exist," Bush said before being interrupted by boos.
"If South Carolina wants to be without Common Core standards, great,
just make sure the standards that you apply are higher than the ones
before you had Common Core. Standards matter. Accountability matters."
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who previously supported Common Core
himself, promised that he'd "take all the education money out of
Washington" and send it to individual states. In addition to closing the
federal education department, he called for the same shifts in federal
funding for transportation, the environment, workforce development and
Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor.
Walker also called for congressional Republicans to strip federal
funding from Planned Parenthood even if it causes a government shutdown.
He suggested that Senate Republicans use the so-called "nuclear option"
to bypass filibuster rules that often require 60 votes to proceed on
contentious issues.
"We don't have to play by those rules," Walker said.
The event also featured retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Florida Sen.
Marco Rubio, former technology executive Carly Fiorina, New Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick
Santorum and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Immigration emerged as a focus for many candidates, who took turns
answering questions on the main stage for roughly 20 minutes each.
Rubio, who supports a pathway to citizenship for immigrants in the
country illegally, criticized the government's tracking system for
immigrants who come legally and then overstay visas: "America has become
a hotel that checks you in and never checks you out."
Carson cited his recent proposal for a guest worker program for such
immigrants to perform "work that Americans won't do." He mentioned
agricultural workers.
But he avoided a question about whether those workers would have
permanent legal status and be eligible for various federal benefits.
"Guest workers are not eligible for anything unless we, the American
people, decide" they are, he said.
Santorum, who wants to reduce legal immigration, railed against
President Barack Obama's call to bring at least 10,000 Syrian refugees
to the U.S. He said that previously resettled Syrian immigrants were all
Muslims and offered a direct message to the president about the
incoming refugees.
"You tell us what the breakdown is of religions," Santorum declared.
"There are a lot of religions that are being persecuted in Syria, and
they should have a home here in the United States just like everybody
else."
The event was awash in fiery rhetoric, but no candidate has struggled more with his party's conservative base than Bush.
"He could perform like Superman in the debates, but he's dead in the
water with the tea party and the base generally," said tea party
movement co-founder Mark Meckler. "He's the only candidate they
absolutely loathe."
South Carolina's Feb. 20 primary shapes up as a critical bridge
between the traditional opening states of Iowa and New Hampshire and a
March 1 "Super Tuesday" that features a gaggle of Southern states, from
Virginia to Texas.
Notably absent from Friday's affair was the state's senior senator
and presidential hopeful Lindsey Graham, who finds himself languishing
at the bottom of the polls nationally.
Graham is a strong figure politically in South Carolina, but the most
conservative activists in the Republican Party view him as too moderate
and too willing to negotiate with Democrats.