For all its hype, the first Republican debate of the 2016 election was just that: one of several debates, and 15 months before election day.
After the dust settled Thursday night, campaigns blasted out emails declaring that their candidate had won the night, but all acknowledged that the marathon had only just begun.
The next leg took the candidates to Atlanta on Friday for a gathering of conservative activists, who will assess how they did on the stage.
During the prime-time debate among the top 10 candidates, no one had a breakout moment to push to the fore of the crowded GOP field.