The crowded Republican field has kept PolitiFact busy since the first GOP debate. So far, we’ve compiled 20 fact-checks of statements the candidates made on Aug. 6 in Cleveland.
Here is the full list.
1. Marco Rubio: Says Hillary Clinton has “been in office and in government longer than anybody else running here tonight.” Mostly False.
2. John Kasich: “I took the state of Ohio from an $8 billion hole … to a $2 billion surplus.” Mostly True.
3. Donald Trump: Illegal immigration “wasn’t a subject that was on anybody’s mind until I brought it up at my announcement.” False.
4. Donald Trump: “The Mexican government … they send the bad ones over.” Pants on Fire!
5. Marco Rubio: “This is the most generous country in the world when it comes to immigration. There are a million people a year who legally immigrate to the United States.” Mostly True.
6. Ted Cruz: “A majority of the candidates on this stage have supported amnesty … I have never supported amnesty.” Mostly True.
7. Chris Christie: “I was appointed U.S. attorney by President Bush on Sept. 10, 2001.” Mostly False.
8. Rand Paul: “The Fourth Amendment was what we fought the Revolution over. John Adams said it was the spark that led to our war for independence.” Mostly True.
9. Marco Rubio: Says that Donald Trump “supported Charlie Crist.” Mostly True.
10. Mike Huckabee: “$700 billion was robbed (from Medicare) to pay for Obamacare.” Half True.
11. Mike Huckabee: “One of the reasons that Social Security is in so much trouble is that the only funding stream comes from people who get a wage. The people who get wages is declining dramatically.” Mostly False.
12. Marco Rubio: “Over 40 percent of small and mid-size banks that loan money to small businesses have been wiped out since Dodd-Frank has passed.” Mostly False.
13. Marco Rubio: On allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest, “I have never said that or advocated that.” Mostly False.
14. Jeb Bush: “As governor of Florida I defunded Planned Parenthood.” True.
15. Ben Carson: “Ukraine was a nuclear-armed state. They gave away their nuclear arms with the understanding that we would protect them.” False.
We fact-checked one claim from the early debate:
16. Carly Fiorina: Says Donald Trump has “changed his mind” on abortion. True.
We found four cases where candidates repeated talking points we fact-checked on another occasion:
17. Jeb Bush: As Florida governor, “we cut taxes every year, totaling $19 billion.” Half True.
18. Jeb Bush: Says he was known as “Veto Corleone” for cutting spending as Florida governor. True.
19. Jeb Bush: Says that during his eight years as Florida governor, “we created 1.3 million net new jobs.” Mostly True.
20. John Kasich: Says he was “one of the chief architects” of balancing the federal budget. Mostly True.
Finally, we fact-checked two post-debate claims from Donald Trump:
1. Donald Trump: “Some of the things that (Megyn Kelly) said, I didn’t say.” False.
2. Donald Trump: “Every poll said I won the debate.” Half True.
Our Sources
See individual fact-checks for sources.