BOULDER, COLORADO - Buckle up and settle in for two Republican debates tonight on CNBC: The one-hour "undercard" event starts at 6pm ET, featuring Bobby Jindal, Lindsey Graham, Rick Santorum and George Pataki, followed by the main event at 8pm ET. Despite featuring ten candidates on stage, the primetime forum will last just two hours, a concession
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"What the hell are you people doing to me?
Lest his competition prematurely conclude that the boomlet is finally deflating, Trump appears to be stepping up his organizational ground game, parlaying large crowds into a turnout machine. Carson, who's taken a laid back approach to campaigning, has surged significantly, riding a wave of Republican appreciation for his unapologetic political incorrectness. Some of his stark historical analogies are perhaps more apt than others. How will he adapt to the scrutiny that accompanies frontrunner status? And how will he respond if Trump steps up his personal barbs in a face-to-face setting? Tonight's debate is focused on the economy and will likely address topics on which Carson has
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Chris Christie has also been running a #DearDC stop-the-dysfunction campaign, but part of his solution is demanding that leaders step up and hammer out tough compromises. How will he thread that messaging needle on the budget deal, and will he be prepared if a moderator drills down on the economic realities facing his home state of New Jersey? Carly Fiorina excelled in Cleveland and Simi Valley, enjoying a richly-earned burst of support that has since faded into the mid-single digits. Can she possibly replicate her dominating performances and recapture needed momentum?
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Last but not least (Mike Huckabee will also participate tonight), there's Jeb Bush. The establishment titan looks disoriented and frustrated on the trail, where his "joyful" campaign is sputtering. Many of his policy proposals are smart and conservative, but he's not resonating with voters. He's relied disproportionately heavily on high-dollar contributors to fill his deep campaign coffers, but many in the donor class may be anxiously eyeing the "eject" button as some in the media are already writing Jeb's political obituary. Another lackluster debate performance could be catastrophic. If you're a fan of American politics, today's a big one. A new Speaker of the House, a major budget deal with lots of moving parts and strange bedfellows, and two presidential debates. I'll leave you with some perfectly Trumpian pre-whining:
.@realDonaldTrump doesn't sound too pleased about tonight's #GOPDebate: pic.twitter.com/hvPmo15uXD
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 28, 2015
UPDATE - A new YouGov poll has Trump comfortably ahead in the national GOP race.
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