Braggadocious: The Republican debate as told on Twitter

The second Republican debate lasted literally long enough to run a marathon, but social media audiences did their best to survive and enjoy it. Here's how the big moments of the night unfolded on Twitter.

It was billed as the Donald Trump show, round two. And the celebrity mogul received a boost even before he walked on stage with the news that Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady had endorsed him.

So it was no surprise that his rivals came out to heavily criticise him, starting in the early evening debate with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal: "Let's stop treating Donald Trump like a Republican... He's not serious," Jindal said.

But if there were any thoughts that "The Donald" might take a more humble, less bombastic approach, they evaporated almost immediately.

"I'm Donald Trump. I wrote the Art Of The Deal. And I say this not in a braggadocious way - I've made billions and billions of dollars," he trumpeted, lighting up Twitter.

The Reagan-off

Trump wasn't the only one in the Ronald Reagan Library feeling cocky. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker immediately compared himself to "the greatest president", calling himself a "big and bold" politician, willing to take on the unions.

Staffers watching in Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters were quick to point out the contradiction. Unlike Walker, Reagan had at one point praised the contribution of workers' co-operatives.

But Walker continued undeterred and by the end of the three-hour marathon, he was clearly the Reaganest of them all.

"It's not about me"

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie needed a strong start. Flagging in the recent polls, he began with a bold address.

"Take the camera off me and put it on the audience. Leadership is not about me, it's about our country and the people in our audience tonight," he urged.

But his tactic did not win much praise from the social audience.

Drowning not waving

Another candidate in need of a boost was Florida Senator Marco Rubio. But his carefully rehearsed opening gag sank like a lead coffin.

"I'm aware that California has a drought, so I brought my own water" he grinned - waving a plastic bottle at the LA audience.

It was supposed to be witty and disarming - a reference to his awkward attempt at hydration during a 2013 State of the Union response.

But the water only made him look more wet.

Rubio never really recovered. By the end of the night, online search traffic showed that the water joke was still the biggest impact he made.

Foreign affairs

Seen as the true litmus test of a US president, it was no surprise that the candidates talked tough on foreign policy - particularly the Iran nuclear deal and how to tackle the so-called Islamic State.

But here again it was Trump who stole the limelight, pledging to become bosom buddies with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin.

"I will get along with Putin." he said casually, conjuring images of an unlikely bromance. "We won't have the kind of problems our country has with Russia."

But as the gentlemen squabbled over who was the strongest, it was Carly Fiorina, the only female candidate and the new face in the debate, who many pundits rated as the most knowledgeable and detailed in her ideas.

The moment of the night: Fiorina takes down Trump

But if Fiorina went ahead on points for her foreign policy, she delivered the knockout blow when responding to Trump's well-publicised criticism of her appearance.

"Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?" Trump had said of Fiorina.

Invited to respond directly, she delivered a line that was simple but devastating.

"I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr Trump said," she said, to rapturous applause around the Reagan Library.

And the applause echoed across social media.

Trump attempted to save his own face, leaning in quickly to splutter: "I think she's got a beautiful face and she's a beautiful woman."

But it only led to more mocking.

Bush goes after Trump

The evening was pre-billed by many commentators as a two horse race - Bush versus Trump, and the two were positioned right next to one another.

Bush - who had been mocked last time by Trump as a "low-energy candidate" came out fighting this time.

He alleged the billionaire businessman had "paid Hillary Clinton to come to your wedding" and cited allegations that Trump's casinos had filed for bankruptcy.

Trump's bemused facial response became the most shared video of the night. He poked back at Bush: "More energy tonight - I like that."

Loudest applause of the night

If there was one moment of genuine gravitas that stood above the mockery, it came from Carly Fiorina. She won a loud round of applause for her impassioned speech against the women's health organisation Planned Parenthood, which Republicans are campaigning against.

And Fiorina wasn't the only one flexing her pro-life credentials.

Jeb Bush even called himself "the most pro-life governor on this stage." At one point it seemed every candidate had to parrot the same slogan.

Boredom sets in...

After the first hour of mudslinging, amusement began to wane as the realisation set in that there was a long night ahead.

Buzzfeed turned its attention away from the candidates to the audience members.

Many of the candidates were just far too dull.

And others disappeared almost entirely.

Marijuana lights up the debate

But late, late on, interest on social media reignited with a question on marijuana laws.

When Senator Rand Paul barbed that one of the other candidates had "smoked pot" in their youth, there followed an uncomfortable few moments before Jeb Bush spoke up: "he's talking about me".

"Forty years ago, I smoked marijuana, and I admit it," said the former Florida governor, adding: "My mom's not happy that I just did."

The Twitter audience couldn't miss an opportunity like this.

It's all about the Benjamins. And the Margarets?

In a final twist, the 11 White House hopefuls were asked which woman they would put on the new $10 bill.

There were nervous looks on the gentlemen's faces. Some took the safe option - nominating their wives, while civil rights heroine Rosa Parks was also mentioned.

But Jeb Bush went further, nominating that famous American icon... Margaret Thatcher.

So who "won" on social?

Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina received the most mentions on Twitter, and were the most searched candidates on Google.

But the two "most tweeted-about moments" both went to Fiorina: her response to Trump on her looks, and her passionate attack on Planned Parenthood.