As President Trump appears to be running away with the Republican presidential nomination, five of his fellow GOP candidates spent two hours debating at Miami on Wednesday night. While the debate focused predominantly on policy issues, there were some points where bickering and personal broadsides captured the attention of viewers. 

Much of the debate focused on foreign policy — from the wars in Ukraine and Israel, to the threat of the Chinese Communist Party to the southern border. 

At one point, the moderators asked the candidates — Governor DeSantis, Ambassador Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Governor Christie, and Senator Scott — about the prospect of banning TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media video platform. 

Mr. Ramaswamy quickly took a shot at Ms. Haley after the question was asked, pointing out that her daughter had posted online a video of herself dancing. Ms. Haley shot back: “Leave my daughter out of your voice,” she said. When Mr. Ramaswamy kept criticizing the ambassador, Ms. Haley said, “you’re just scum.”

Other foreign policy issues covered in the debate included the Ukraine war, the war in Israel, China’s influence in America, and the threat of Iran. 

The Ukraine war has remained one of the most contentious issues among Republican elected officials both in the nation’s capital and on the campaign trail. Ms. Haley took the most hardline position on the war, saying that “Putin and President Xi are salivating at the thought of someone like that becoming president” pointing to Mr. Ramaswamy, who has called for a “deal” that offers some Ukrainian territory to Russia. 

Ms. Haley wants to give the Ukrainians the “equipment, the ammunition to win” the war, though she did not say what a peace deal might look like. 

On abortion, almost every candidate failed to give a specific answer about what kind of federal abortion restrictions they want to see. Just one day after abortion rights buoyed Democrats in elections in Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, the GOP candidates offered platitudes about how they would move their movement forward. 

Mr. Scott said that he “would certainly … have a 15-week national limit” on abortion. “It is in our nation’s best interest.” Mr. Ramaswamy said that he would not succumb to the same “political calculus” of those who are concerned about the campaign burden of the anti-abortion rights movement. 

Mr. Ramaswamy also said that — as an Ohio resident whose state codified abortion rights on Tuesday night — he was tired of the “Republican culture of losing” on the abortion rights issue. 

Foreign policy was especially important in light of Hamas’ war on Israel that began just one month ago. Both Mr. DeSantis and Ms. Haley said it was Prime Minister Netanyahu’s responsibility to “finish” Hamas no matter the cost. Mr. Ramaswamy argued that America investing money in both the Israel and Ukraine conflicts could lead to “World War III” if Congress and President Biden were not careful. 

Mr. Trump, though, remains the elephant not in the room. According to a recent CNN poll, the former president leads the GOP field nationally by 44 points. He also leads in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina by 33 points, 32 points, and 30 points, respectively.