(Image Source: International Business Times)

BY: ZACH TOOMBS

Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann’s heated exchange may have stole the show at the Republican debate in Iowa Thursday night. But as the dust settled on the GOP’s first major debate of the primary season, many pundits thought the true winner was the candidate who stayed out of the fray altogether: Mitt Romney.

CNN weighs in.

“I think what he wants to do is let the other candidates slug it out against each other and then he stands above that looking more presidential, looking more toward the long-term. And that can help him, because there are plenty of Iowa Republicans who are disenchanted by the nastiness from the other candidates." 

Romney quickly sidestepped the few punches thrown at him, by turning the focus on President Barack Obama. That included Pawlenty’s attempt to show similarities between the former Massachusetts Governor Romney’s health care plan and Mr. Obama’s health care reform.

NBC has the comments.

PAWLENTY: “And for Mitt or anyone else to say that there aren’t substantial similarities or they aren’t essentially the same plan — it just isn’t credible." 
ANCHOR: “Romney brushed off the political attack and instead tried to stay focused on President Obama." 
ROMNEY: “... That’s because our president doesn’t understand how to lead and how to grow an economy." 

Joe Scarbrough of MSNBC’s Morning Joe believes Romney’s “above the fray” attitude served him well.

“I gotta tell you, I thought Romney had a great night for the reasons already said. He looked presidential, and they didn’t lay a glove on him. Whether he’s slick, whether he’s whatever. He looked, sounded, walked, talked like a president, like a presidential candidate. I thought he did well." 

Still, Romney may have sidestepped a challenge chiefly because -- many believe -- his main challenger wasn’t even on the stage. Texas Governor Rick Perry has announced his intentions to jumpstart his campaign Saturday in Iowa, a move that Politico says could blow the race for the GOP nomination wide open.

“The two-hour debate here, the third of the GOP presidential campaign, lacked the candidate who could ultimately present (Romney) with the stiffest competition: Rick Perry. Without Perry, and without the candidates taking any significant swipes at Romney, the forum had a preliminary feel to it -- which is why the former Massachusetts governor never had to break a sweat."

But with the Ames Straw Poll approaching -- and Perry and Romney not participating -- it could be Bachmann who set herself up for a victory in the poll on Saturday.