--- title: GOP Debate: Republican Candidates Face Off in Florida description: The four remaining GOP candidates face off in Florida tonight for their 12th debate together and final meeting before the state's primary. canonical: https://time.com/4254993/republican-debate-miami-florida-twelfth-donald-trump-ted-cruz/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-11T00:56:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T16:30:08.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Republican Candidates Face Off in Florida og:description: Their final meeting before the state's crucial primary. og:url: https://time.com/4254993/republican-debate-miami-florida-twelfth-donald-trump-ted-cruz/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5364d93d2e9a709f/69888a9cf887dc3d26e94ffc/republican_debate_florida.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Republican Presidential Candidates Debate In Miami Area og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Republican Candidates Face Off in Florida twitter:description: Their final meeting before the state's crucial primary. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5364d93d2e9a709f/69888a9cf887dc3d26e94ffc/republican_debate_florida.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Republican Candidates Face Off in Florida by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/) and [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) Updated: Dec 13, 2023 4:30 PM UTCPublished: Mar 11, 2016 12:56 AM UTC  Republican presidential candidates, Sen. Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich debate during the CNN, Salem Media Group, The Washington Times Republican Presidential Primary Debate on the campus of the University of Miami on March 10, 2016 in Coral Gables, Fl. Republican presidential candidates, Sen. Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich debate during the CNN, Salem Media Group, The Washington Times Republican Presidential Primary Debate on the campus of the University of Miami on March 10, 2016 in Coral Gables, Fl.Joe Raedle—Getty Images by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/) and [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) Updated: Dec 13, 2023 4:30 PM UTCPublished: Mar 11, 2016 12:56 AM UTC The four remaining GOP candidates met in Florida Thursday night for their 12th debate, the final face-off before the state’s crucial primary next week. Ninety-nine delegates are [up for grabs](http://time.com/4228456/republican-primary-delegate-counter/) in the Sunshine State’s winner-take-all contest on March 15, the results of which could throw another candidate by the wayside. Sen. Marco Rubio’s campaign [has been struggling in recent days](http://time.com/4250620/marco-rubio-cnn-florida-dropping-out-donors/), and he’s long made his home state a must-win. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is leading in overall delegate count. A win in Florida would put him that much closer to the 1,237 delegates needed to win the contest outright. The debate began without the fireworks of the previous two contests, with a detailed discussion of trade and immigration policies. Trump, who has come under fire for using many of the same programs in business that he derides on the campaign trail, said he would best be able to change the existing laws “because nobody knows the system better than me.” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz rejected the notion that he adjusted his position on pending trade agreements, while Rubio said he didn’t think a pause was needed to the high-skilled immigration program to ensure that laws are enforced to ensure businesses don’t replace American jobs with foreign labor. In his opening statement, Trump noted the enthusiasm of those following the GOP race, with record turnouts nationwide. “The whole world is talking,” he said. Trump called on the GOP, and its growing anti-Trump movement, to fall in behind him. “I think the Republican establishment, or whatever you want to call it, should embrace what’s happening,” Trump said. Cruz is looking to [knock Rubio out of the race](http://time.com/4253794/ted-cruz-fights-alongside-donald-trump-in-florida-to-sink-marco-rubio/) and bring it down to a two man contest between him and Trump, while underdog Ohio Gov. John Kasich is battling to be the establishment favorite and hang on until Ohio. There’s a lot at stake for the candidates tonight, and the arguments will likely be heated. At the last debate, Rubio went on the attack against Trump, who responded to a campaign trail gibe about the size of his hands by [alluding to the size of his private parts](http://time.com/4247366/republican-debate-donald-trump-small-hands-penis/). A penitent Rubio has since said he regrets the tone of his attacks on Trump. “I’d do it differently. I really would. The reason—my kids were embarrassed by it. My wife didn’t like it. I don’t think it reflects good,” [he told Fox News](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/03/09/marco-rubio-says-he-regrets-tone-of-his-attacks-on-donald-trump/) Wednesday. “That’s not who I am. That’s not what my campaign is going to be about or will ever be about again.” But with his campaign on the ropes, it’s unlikely Rubio will be slinking back to his corner either. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4254993/republican-debate-miami-florida-twelfth-donald-trump-ted-cruz/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4254993/republican-debate-miami-florida-twelfth-donald-trump-ted-cruz/"},"headline":"Republican Candidates Face Off in Florida","datePublished":"2016-03-11T00:56:34.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T16:30:08.000Z","description":"The four remaining GOP candidates face off in Florida tonight for their 12th debate together and final meeting before the state's primary.","url":"https://time.com/4254993/republican-debate-miami-florida-twelfth-donald-trump-ted-cruz/","keywords":["Debates","2016 Election topic","Sen. 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