As the Republican candidates for President leave Sin City after their debate on Tuesday night, it's clear that more sharp elbows are in the forecast as the GOP hopefuls try to separate themselves from each other.
It was a feisty debate on the Las Vegas Strip, as the candidates began by ganging up on Herman Cain, and then we had what almost seemed like a Vegas boxing match between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.
Perry lobbed the first verbal grenade in the candidate introductions, when he called himself an "authentic conservative," taking a swipe at Romney by noting others who are a "conservative of convenience."
Perry and Romney at first ganged up on Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan, as Romney said, "Governor Perry was right" in criticizing Cain, while Perry returned the favor a few minutes later saying "Mitt was right" on energy policy issues.
Romney took flak first from other Republicans when the issue of health care reform came up; it was one of the few times in these debates that the former Massachusetts Governor had been put on his heels for a sustained period of time.
And then it got ugly.
Perry took a question about health care statistics in Texas and turned it into an attack on Romney over illegal immigration, reviving an old story about how there were illegals cutting Romney's grass.
It went downhill from there.
"And the idea that you stand here before us and talk about that you're strong on immigration is on its face the height of hypocrisy," Perry said.
"Rick, I don't think I've ever hired an illegal in my life. And so I'm afraid -- I'm looking forward to finding your facts on that," Romney shot back.
At times, Perry and Romney were talking over each other.
"I'm speaking, I'm speaking, I'm speaking," Romney said, trying to talk down Perry.
"(CROSSTALK)" was how it was characterized in the CNN debate transcript.
"This has been a tough couple of debates for Rick, and I understand that. And so you're going to get testy," Romney snapped.
At one point, Romney put his hand on Perry's shoulder - many of us in the press room wondered if the Texas Governor was going to turn this debate into a prize fight and move it down the street to the parking lot at Caesar's.
It wasn't clear how the debate would shake out - I've seen every kind of review, that Perry was awful to Romney had a bad debate.
One thing is very clear, don't look for Perry and Romney to host a holiday gathering for each other.
And this is just a start.
Just wait until the attack ads starting hitting the airwaves.
The Iowa Caucuses are less than 11 weeks away.
