Carly Is Only Going Up

By Kimberly Ross | 11:58 PM on September 16, 2015

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.

Carly Fiorina was the clear winner in tonight’s debate, but it has nothing to do with gender. Yes, she was the only woman on stage, and stuck out in her blue suit, but the fact that she held her own – and then some – says much.

I have always liked Carly, her strength, her sharp mind and her effective ability to communicate. But it seems there has long been a sense that as she’s the token girl in the group, her worth as a candidate is tied into that alone. As tonight has again proven, that is not the case. Carly was the clear winner in the JV debate in August, and a rule change paved the way for her inclusion in this evening’s debate. We knew she’d perform well, but she was undoubtedly the most victorious of the pack on stage at the Reagan Library.

Some victories:

– She gave a perfect answer to the question of Trump’s comments about her, and even called him an entertainer. This is after a brilliant social media ad that came out this week, and focused on the faces of American women, the same body part Trump mocked.

– She gave a detailed response to the foreign policy question and how under her leadership, the U.S. military would be strengthened, not weakened.

– Her answer regarding Planned Parenthood was one of the most passionate I’ve seen from any candidate. Jay Caruso addressed that here. While many focus on responding to Trump in a blistering manner, Carly did that to PP, and it was not only a necessity, but powerful.

– When asked the absurd question about what female she’d place on a bill, her response was best of all. She described such a thought as just a “gesture”. Women don’t need that. It’s equivalent to a pat on the head, and Carly’s response said as much.

I’m not sure if Carly is even in your top five, but you should appreciate her lack of victimhood due to gender. It’s absolutely refreshing. It’s a far cry from the only other female candidate in this cycle, Hillary Clinton. I would love to see a Carly vs Hillary debate, but it is clear that Carly, the only Republican female, can stand on her own against the boys. But she doesn’t see it as a gender war, and neither should we. She’s just one of the candidates, and tonight she was the best.