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Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump began Wednesday’s debate with an unprovoked attack on Rand Paul, saying the Kentucky senator “shouldn’t even be on this stage.”

“First of all, Rand Paul shouldn't even be on this stage. He got number 11. He's got 1 percent in the polls and how he got up here - there's far too many people anyway,” Trump began.

The question that began the debate went to Carly Fiorina, who was asked if she would be comfortable with Trump having control of the country’s nuclear codes.

“I kind of have to laugh, hmm, sounds like a non sequitur,” Paul responded. “He was asked whether or not he would be capable and it would be in good hands to be in charge of the nuclear weapons and all of a sudden there's a sideways attack at me.”

Paul and Trump have sparred throughout the campaign, despite Trump’s sizeable lead throughout his campaign. Paul’s stagnant poll numbers relegated him to the very edge of the debate stage while Trump occupied the center spot.

“His visceral response to attack people on their personal appearance, short, tall, fat, ugly, my goodness that happened in junior high. Are we not all worried,” Paul added.

Trump shot back: "I never attacked him on his look and believe me there's plenty of subject matter there - that I can tell you."