Republican candidates have to step it up to take nomination from Trump

Never has a fight for second place been so nasty–and lively. 

With the party’s 800-pound gorilla taking a pass on the first presidential skirmish, most of the eight rivals who made the cut tore into each other like hungry wolves. 

It was a delicious two hours, if only because it allowed the top contenders to get a public hearing without Donald Trump’s antics and baggage overshadowing them.

Americans got an uninterrupted view of the Republicans competing to be the one alternative to the former president without having to weigh each one against him–or his nicknames for them.

Still, with a few exceptions, notably Chris Christie and Nikki Haley, the GOP rivals were pussycats when it came to dissecting Trump, reflecting the fact that they haven’t figured out how to criticize the former president without alienating his supporters.