GOP Debate Live Blog: Return Of The Donald & Do Or Die For Some

After finishing second in Iowa, chastened Donald Trump has returned to the flock for tonight’s debate, conceding that his boycott in principle against mean-girl Megyn Kelly and her Fox News boss might not have served him well in that states caucuses.

Tonight’s debate should be a yeasty brawl. Trump will accuse Ted Cruz of voter fraud, Jeb Bush of having a Mommy fixation and Marco Rubio of having one canned speech in his repertoire. Meanwhile, Rubio has picked up the endorsement of former candidate Rick Santorum, who then failed to recall any Rubio accomplishment in an interview.

Extra points if Trump works into the conversation that New Hampshire Dem front-runner Bernie Sanders is following the billionaire’s lead later tonight when he appears on Saturday Night Live with his doppelganger, Larry David.

Meanwhile, Carly Fiorina will stay at home and tweet bitterly about “media bosses in New York” — ABC is hosting tonight at St. Anselm College in NH — who are “stealing” the New Hampshire primary by denying her a podium onstage, thereby “rigging the game.” Ben Carson, Chris Christie and John Kasich made the cut, however. And like Santorum, Rand Paul suspended his campaign after being an also-ran in Iowa.

ABC News anchor-in-chief and Sunday Beltway show wonk George Stephanopoulos will not moderate, having recused himself in May when it came to light he’d donated about $75K to the Clinton Foundation a couple years back. Instead, This Week co-anchor Martha Raddatz is moderating with World News Tonight anchor David Muir in the Battle of the Hoodies:

Follow along as we call the action.

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