Sacramento County Republicans Praise Carly Fiorina's Performance In Second-Tier Debate
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — One of the biggest winners from Thursday night's debates was someone who didn't step onto the prime-time stage.
The Sacramento County Republican party says it's not surprised with how well former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina performed at a forum preceding Thursday night's Republican debate.
"I don't think anybody really necessary lost last night but she shined brighter," said executive director Doug Haaland.
He says members are pleased with how well the 17 candidates performed on two different stages on Thursday, especially Fiorina and her knowledge of policy.
"And seemed very fearless about the concept the democratic nominee, whoever that may be," he said.
Fiorina, who lost a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010 to Sen. Barbara Boxer, was not eligible to participate in the marquee event. Her strong performance at a preceding event for second-tier candidates is resonating with many local Republicans who remember her previous election.
"I had the privilege of meeting her when she ran for US Senate," Haaland said.
He was impressed with her then and not surprised with how much she shined on Thursday.
"If you've watched her along the way you've seen that she has the ability to handle the issues but also handled the questions and handled potential opponents. Very bright woman and very proud she's on our side of the ticket," she said.
The next Republican debate will be on Sept. 16.