- During the first GOP debate, most candidates said they'd support Donald Trump if he were convicted.
- Some, like rival Ron DeSantis, glanced around the stage before raising their hands.
At Wednesday's Republican primary debate, the chief rivals of former President Donald Trump were asked, by a show of hands, if they'd still support him, even if he was convicted in court.
It was a simple question, but the results weren't exactly a moment of political courage.
Vivek Ramaswamy — the tech businessman who spent much of the debate praising Trump — immediately raised his hand, with Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Doug Burgum joining him.
Ron DeSantis, who has been in a distant second place to Trump in recent polls, glanced left and right down the stage before raising his hand as well.
Even Mike Pence — Trump's former vice president who's been the target of not just Trump's criticism but also death threats on January 6 — agreed to back his old boss even if he was a convicted felon as the audience cheered.
Only Asa Hutchinson and Chris Christie said they wouldn't support the former president after a conviction in court.
The awkward moment was a coup for Trump, who skipped the debate entirely to chat with Tucker Carlson in a pre-recorded interview.
Trump has argued that the candidates challenging him for the GOP nod were no threat to him. With their halting responses, they proved him right.
Since he stunned the Republican establishment in 2016, Trump has built his political brand on being the brash, tough outsider. He's insulted rivals and perceived enemies, said outrageous things, raged against the Washington DC "swamp" of corrupt politicians, and tapped into the GOP base's simmering desire for a showman — not a policy wonk.
It's a bizarre situation: A group of politicians running to unseat Donald Trump who all say they'll still back him even if he's a convicted criminal.
Instead of taking him on, his biggest rivals seem content to back away. The answers reek of a political calculus that Trump claims to fight against.