Last night, leading Republican candidates squared off in Boulder, CO for their third debate. Interestingly, it seemed to be a contest between the candidates and the moderators as much as between the candidates themselves, with a number of questions clearly being aimed at provoking the debaters and creating drama. ‘Wasn’t this supposed to be a debate about the economy?’ seemed to be the question on the lips of Sen. Ted Cruz and other politicians. Throughout the night, CNBC moderators John Harwood, Becky Quick and Carl Quintanilla seemed to have trouble guiding the discussion.

Finishing well ahead of his competitors was Sen. Marco Rubio, whose dominating presence on stage left him looking like President-elect Rubio. In a room lacking strong emotional delivery, Rubio used personal stories and a heartfelt tone to leave a lasting impression that may give him a boost in the polls. In contrast, candidates Rand Paul and Jeb Bush hardly seemed to have been given enough airtime to justify their invitation to the debate.

Key moments included New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s assessment of the Democratic candidates as “a socialist, an isolationist and a pessimist,” Jeb Bush’s statement that “find a Democrat willing to cut taxes by ten dollars and I’ll give them a warm kiss” and of course, Cruz’s mention of the “famous Colorado brownies.” In terms of issues, the candidates seemed to agree on the need for immigration reform and an overhaul of the Federal Reserve. The Republican Party as a whole seemed to slide towards the political center during the debate, especially when compared with earlier events. Marco Rubio clearly came across as the “winner,” although Carly Fiorina and Donald Trump each offered a strong enough performance to walk away satisfied.