Republican strategist: “I call this the Rodney King debate of this election cycle”

Substance and issues replaced the nasty and negative in the 12th GOP Primary debate Thursday night in Miami.

“I like to say last night’s debate was the Rodney King debate: The “Why can’t we all just get along” debate of this election cycle,” Republican strategist and longtime GOP campaign consultant Patrick Davis said. “I think going forward, you’re going to see more of that civility and less of the childhood antics of the past.”

Davis thinks the tone of the debate works to frontrunner Donald Trump’s advantage.

“Look, Donald Trump makes the case that he’s bringing millions of new people into the Republican party, and we were at the risk of running them out of the party by looking like children, debating in a food fight,” Davis said. “Last night, he showed a command of the issues.”

Trump got an endorsement from former rival Dr. Ben Carson Friday and enjoys a lead in the polls in Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio’s home state. The Florida primary is next Tuesday.

Davis argued if Trump and Hillary Clinton square off in the general election debates this fall, the tone will be less than civil.

“We go back down to new lows,” Davis said. “The insults come out again. It’s just in their nature, both of them.”