(Image Source: New York Times )

 

BY ALLIE SPILLYARDS

 

GOP candidates faced off in the Sunshine state’s first debate Monday night. But it was a one-on-one sparring match that gained all the attention.

ROMNEY: “I think it’s about leadership. And the Speaker was given an opportunity to be the leader of our party in 1994, and at the end of 4 years he had to resign in disgrace.” 
GINGRICH: “I”m not going to spend the evening trying to chase Governor Romney’s misinformation.  “He just said at least four things that are false. I don’t want to waste the time on them.” (VIDEO SOURCE: NBC)

“Mitt Romney opened a searing attack of Newt Gingrich’s character and raised pointed questions about his rival’s ability to lead during a debate... For the first time in a long series of debates, the tables were turned and Mr. Romney was on the offensive. (SOURCE: New York Times)

And as NBC’s Chuck Todd points out... Gingrich’s behavior showed a turning point in the race.

“What struck me is what a marked contrast frankly to Gingrich’s speech Saturday night. His quote victory speech which had a lot of venom in it. Boy, it’s almost as if someone got to him and said, ‘don’t do that.’ You can’t do that if you want to be the frontrunner.”

Commentators for PBS Newshour pointed out -- the two candidates new attitudes might be telling for the future of the GOP race.

“This is a race now that boils down to a kind of two-and-a-half, two-and-a-quarter person race, with Santorum still in the background buzzing around and Paul there.”

Although most of the media focused on Romney and Newt’s head-to-head exchanges over Medicare, NASA, personal finances and more, others remind --- The L.A. Times John Hoeffel says Rick Santorum stood his own, though he didn’t get the attention of the two frontrunners.

“With Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich engaging in a dogfight, …Santorum soldiered on, trying to persuade some of Florida's reddest Republicans that the top two finishers in South Carolina's upending primary are convenient conservatives, while he is the real deal.”

And even if Romney and Gingrich stole the spotlight during NBC’s broadcast, the Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz writes -- neither took the gold.

“The two men probably fought to a draw, neither looking particularly good in the process. And that, on balance, helped Romney, since as the longtime frontrunner his weaknesses are better known at this point. The only clear winner was Williams, who avoided the fate of John King and emerged unscathed.”

Florida’s primary will be held Tuesday, January 31st.