DES MOINES, IOWA — No-show Donald Trump was the big winner in the Fox News/Google debate held on Thursday, the last debate before Republican party members caucus on Tuesday.

The billionaire businessman earlier in the week said he would boycott the event, ostensibly because he objected to moderator Megyn Kelly, who he accused of bias. But skipping the debate carried strategic advantages: Trump holds a commanding lead; hard questions about the RINO's conservative bonafides could damage him in the polls.

Trump leads the pack with support from 30% of likely caucus goers, according to a Monmouth University poll. Support for Texas senator Ted Cruz was at 23%, while Florida senator Marco Rubio polled 16%.

In the lead-up to the debate, Trump dominated the news cycle. Fox News sought his participation and then claimed Trump demanded a US$5 million donation to charities he supports.

As the GOP hopefuls debated without Trump, the bombastic businessman held his own event, which was broadcast by CNN. That event raised money for war veterans, some of whom criticized Trump for turning them into "political props."

Trump now leads in the early primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Do you think he will go all the way?

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