The Republican presidential candidates head into Thursday night's debate with Donald Trump's nearest rivals, Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, needing breakout moments to disrupt the frontrunner's momentum before the Super Tuesday nominating contests next week.
Trump has won in three consecutive states — New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada — and polls predict he'll dominate on Super Tuesday. Rubio, who narrowly beat Cruz for second place in Nevada, said Wednesday that once the five-candidate field narrows, "a clear alternative to Donald Trump" will emerge. The debate begins at 8:30 p.m. ET and airs on CNN.
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