Takeaways From Kinder, Gentler GOP Debate in Florida

Thursday night's debate GOP debate in Florida was marked with polite disagreement and few outright attacks between Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Ted Cruz. There were a number of substantive exchanges over issues like trade and foreign policy.

Among NBC News' takeaways: Trump's rivals didn't attack him on the increasingly violent nature of his rallies, where there was even an eyewitness-backed report that a Trump supporter sucker-punched a protestor.

One of the more interesting policy exchanges was over trade, the rare issue that's become a significant fight in both party primaries.

Another takeaway was that Rubio has returned to his roots as a uplifting messenger with an emphasis on policy. If he loses his presidential bid, he wants to go down with dignity.  

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