Takeaway from the Republican presidential debate in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley jockeyed on Wednesday to emerge as the clear alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump just days before voting in the presidential primary race kicks off in Iowa.

Here is a takeaway from their first head-to-head debate:

CANDIDATES ATTACK EACH OTHER, GO EASY ON TRUMP

If there was any doubt that the current race for the Republican presidential nomination is a second-place fight between Haley and DeSantis behind Trump, the debate's opening salvos dispelled them.

Invited to attack Trump, Haley and DeSantis tore into each other while landing only a few glancing blows on the race leader.

DeSantis called Haley a "mealy mouthed" politician beholden to wealthy donors. Haley accused DeSantis of lying about her record and touted a new campaign website dedicated to knocking down those accusations.

"His campaign is exploding," Haley said of the DeSantis bid.

DeSantis directed voters to his own website attacking Haley's record.

"We don't need a candidate who is going to look down on Middle America," DeSantis said, comparing her to former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The two candidates are virtually tied in Iowa, where the first-in-the-nation nominating contest will be held on Monday in the battle to take on Democratic President Joe Biden in November.

(Reporting by Tim Reid, editing by Deepa Babington)

By Tim Reid