Low-polling GOP presidential candidates talk taxes, jobs in undercard debate


During the first of two Republican presidential debates hosted by Fox Business Network on Tuesday in Milwaukee, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal fielded questions about taxes, jobs, and business, while getting in a few jabs against each other and Hillary Clinton.
It was the first time Christie and Huckabee appeared at an undercard debate; they were bumped down from the primetime stage after failing to reach the 2.5 percent threshold in national polls.
When asked about taxes, Santorum said he supports a 20 percent flat tax, adding "I think that's a fair number." Huckabee said he would like to abolish the IRS.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Christie said he would fight back against cyberwarfare waged by China, and would fly over the islands being built by the country in the South China Sea so "they'll know we mean business."
Each candidate was asked which Democratic member of Congress they most admire, but Jindal, Huckabee, and Christie demurred; only Santorum responded, saying he respects the party because "they fight, they're not willing to back down and are willing to stand up and win."
Jindal got in several jabs against his fellow governors, calling out Huckabee for spending too much and Christie for attempting to be a conservative in a blue state. "I'll give you a ribbon for participation and a juice box but in the real world it's about results," he said. Christie used every opportunity to go after Clinton, saying the Democratic presidential candidate is "coming for your wallet" and is afraid to debate him. "Hillary Clinton doesn't want one minute on that stage with me next September when I'm debating her and prosecuting her for her vision for America," he said.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
June 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons include war on a loop, the New York City mayoral race, and one almighty F-bomb
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests