--- title: Republican Debate: Rick Santorum Defends Going to Rally description: "I had some time because I'm not doing anything at 9 tonight." canonical: https://time.com/4199203/donald-trump-rally-mike-huckabee-rick-santorum/ author: Daniel White article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-29T01:43:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:56.072Z article:section: Politics og:title: Why Huckabee and Santorum Will Attend Trump's Rally og:description: "I had some time because I'm not doing anything at 9 tonight." og:url: https://time.com/4199203/donald-trump-rally-mike-huckabee-rick-santorum/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ff01eee9ab64fbe/69887b330a4a2259c69c8204/gettyimages-507335908.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Republican Presidential Candidates Debate In Iowa Days Before State's Caucus og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Huckabee and Santorum Will Attend Trump's Rally twitter:description: "I had some time because I'm not doing anything at 9 tonight." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ff01eee9ab64fbe/69887b330a4a2259c69c8204/gettyimages-507335908.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Why Huckabee and Santorum Will Attend Trump's Rally > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Republican Debate: Donald Trump Mentions [Watch (HLS stream): Republican Debate: Donald Trump Mentions](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/w3JT6Fwm.m3u8) (0:40)  _Published 2016-01-29_ by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Jan 29, 2016 1:43 AM UTC  Republican presidential candidates (L-R) Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Jim Gilmore participate in the Fox News - Google GOP Debate January 28, 2016 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Residents of Iowa will vote for the Republican nominee at the caucuses on February 1. Republican presidential candidates (L-R) Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Jim Gilmore participate in the Fox News - Google GOP Debate January 28, 2016 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Residents of Iowa will vote for the Republican nominee at the caucuses on February 1. Scott Olson—Getty Images by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Jan 29, 2016 1:43 AM UTC Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum defended their decision to attend a Donald Trump rally held at the same time as the GOP debate Thursday. During an undercard debate held before the main event, Santorum argued it was his best chance to get media coverage and noted the event is designed as a veterans benefit. “I’m not going to attack Donald Trump. What I’m — Mike Huckabee and I were asked to come to an event where money was going to be raise to do help our veterans. You know, I thought about it,” the former Pennsylvania Senator said. “And I thought about. I said well, wait a minute, now, if there were no political considerations and I had some time because I’m not doing anything at 9 tonight.” Huckabee, who was not asked about the event, had a similar response earlier in the day. “I’m delighted to join with Donald Trump in an effort to salute veterans,” [the former Arkansas Governor told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer](http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/28/politics/donald-trump-veterans-event-mike-huckabee-rick-santorum/index.html?sr=twCNN012816donald-trump-veterans-event-mike-huckabee-rick-santorum0619PMVODtopLink&linkId=20755044). “I didn’t have anything going on at 8 tonight. I’ll be done, so I figured, ‘Why not? Let’s show the veterans our support.'” Huckabee and Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2008 and 2012 respectively, are both polling at 2% or less in the state, according to [a polling average from RealClearPolitics](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/ia/iowa%5Frepublican%5Fpresidential%5Fcaucus-3194.html). Both have seen their base of support of Evangelical Christians in the state instead go to front-runner Trump and his chief rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. In his first appearance at a Republican debate, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore harshly criticized Huckabee and Santorum for attending the rally, which Trump announced after complaining that Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly is biased against him. “I’m the only veteran, Bill and Martha in this race,” said Gilmore, a former counterintelligence agent with the U.S. Army. “And I’m not going to any Donald Trump event over across town on some sort of faux veteran sort of issue.” He returned to the point later in the debate. “I’m not about to go across town tonight to carry the coat for some billionaire,” he said. ## Transcript Before we get to the issues, let's address the elephant not in the room tonight. [ LAUGH ] Donald Trump. Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way. Between you and Mr. Trump. During this campaign, you praised Mr. Trump. Donald engages in insults. I have not insulted Donald personally. I am glad Donald is running. Every Donald Trump voter. It's not about Donald Trump I kind of miss Donald Trump. He was a little teddy bear to me. Your father now says that it's realistic that Donald Trump will be your party's nominee. Trailing Donald Trump. Donald Trump, for example, Mr. Trump. Which is why I've been critical of Donald Trump. Disparaging women, disparaging Hispanics. 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