"Alabama GOP Debate: Haley Under Fire as Rising Candidate"

In the fourth Republican primary debate, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie criticized his fellow candidates for not going after Donald Trump, who was absent from the debate. While Trump was occasionally referenced and obliquely criticized, the rest of the field largely ignored him. Christie repeatedly tried to re-orient the debate back to Trump, but found few takers. Highlights from the debate included clashes between candidates over issues such as transgender rights, border security, and foreign policy. Christie took the most aggressive stance against Trump, warning that he is an angry, bitter man. Haley defended herself on various issues, including social media verification and private earnings.