Milwaukee - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was relegated for the first time to the undercard debate at Tuesday's Republican showdown. And he came ready to prove he should be back on the main stage.
The demotion at the Fox Business Network-hosted debate, due to dismal poll numbers, meant far fewer voters were tuned in. But it also meant more speaking time for Christie, who shared the stage with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and ex-Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
Christie used the pulpit to try to position himself as the grownup in the room - the GOP leader who can unite the party against the Democratic front-runner.
“Believe me – Hillary Clinton is coming for your wallet,” Christie said. “Don’t worry about Huckabee or Jindal. Worry about her.”
He had his own target on his back. A feisty Jindal repeatedly needled Christie, casting himself as the only true conservative with executive experience in the crowded race. He compared Christie to a "liberal" and mocked his administration's record in left-leaning New Jersey.
“I’ll give you a ribbon for participation and a juice box,” quipped Jindal. "But in the real world it's about results. It's about actually cutting government spending - not just talking about cutting government spending."
The running duel between the two overshadowed the other two candidates on the stage. Huckabee, also demoted from the main debate, tried to appeal to conservatives by opposing opening U.S. borders to Syrian refugees fleeing violence from the Islamic State.
“We’re $19 trillion in debt,” he said to applause from the crowd at the Milwaukee Theatre. “We can’t even afford to take care of Americans.”
And Santorum, trying to reignite support from evangelicals who fueled his 2012 campaign, scored points by invoking the welfare reform package he sponsored.
“I have a record of accomplishment of being a conservative on everything,” he said. “You want someone who can win … with a conservative message? I’m your guy.”
At least they made it to the stage. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New York Gov. George Pataki didn’t make the cut.
It was Christie, though, who may have left the deepest impression of the candidates. The hot-tempered politician succeeding in virtually ignoring the other Republicans on the stage – including Jindal’s sharp-elbowed and frequent attacks - and reserved his fire for Clinton.
“Hillary Clinton believes she can make the decisions for you better than you can for yourself … I believe the greatness of America is not in its government,” said Christie. “We need to get the government the hell out of the way.”
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