Duncan Hunter, representative of California
The debate started off smack dab on his pet issues — defense and immigration — but, despite some confident answers, Hunter was still unable to elevate himself above the second-tier. In his own gruff way, and with a graceful reference to his own son, a Marine currently serving in Afghanistan, he did a decent job comforting a citizen-questioner whose brother was killed in Iraq. Then, with a sense of timing only Pete Best could love, he waited until the waning moments of the session to lash out at the Big 3 candidates for being tied to Ted Kennedy.
— by Mark Halperin