Trump takes center stage in prime-time Republican debate

Other candidates try to stand out in crowded field

Bombastic, comical, provocative: Donald Trump, the billionaire leading the Republican primary race, offered the best and worst of himself on Thursday as opponents strained to offer more gravitas in the first major debate of the 2016 election campaign.

Flanked by nine rivals who trail him in the polls, the real estate mogul immediately set himself apart.