Republican debate: Trump v nine others

Nine Republican candidates for the party presidential nomination have only one aim in Friday’s debate telecast – not let it become the Trump show.

Donald Trump leads the polls by a stretch and is an accomplished performer in front of the camera for his “you’re fired” programme for budding entrepreneurs.

But he has never taken part in a political debate, let alone the first that will be watched millions in peak time – and perhaps many millions more around the world.

The 10 polls-leading candidates are in the main debate, hosted by Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum, that will be on Sky TV’s Fox News channel at 1pm Friday (NZ time). It will be repeated at 5pm. 

An earlier debate, among the seven other candidates, will screen four hours earlier at 9am (NZ time).

Both debates are co-sponsored by Facebook in conjunction with the Ohio Republican Party and will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

The top 10 candidates are Mr Trump; former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker; former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson; Texas Senator Ted Cruz; Florida Senator Marco Rubio; Kentucky Senator Rand Paul; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; and Ohio Governor John Kasich.

The seven also-rans are former Texas Governor Rick Perry; former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum; Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal; former HP head Carly Fiorina; South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham; former New York Governor George Pataki; and former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore.

At least one candidate in the main debate isn’t running scared of Trump’s triumph in the polls.

Senator Cruz says no candidates will succeed by running toward "the mushy middle."

"Every time we run as Democrat light, we lose. I'm convinced 2016 is going to be an election very much like 1980 and that we are going to win by following [former President Ronald] Reagan's dictum of painting in bold colours and not pale pastels," he says.

Senator Cruz has been one of the few Republican candidates who has not tangled publicly with Mr Trump.

But the senator denies he and Trump have struck a deal to lay off each other. Rather, Senator Cruz says the others are "frightened" by what Mr Trump is saying.

"Not only have I refused to [attack him] but I have commended Donald for having the courage to speak out and in particular to shine the light on the problem of illegal immigration," Senator Cruz says.