The winner of Thursday night’s fierce debate? The Republican Party.

That’s right, no single candidate on stage won the debate — at least that’s what the consensus was among the attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

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“I think the GOP won last night because the Democratic Party is the real problem and we need the nominee to be supported entirely, which is what every candidate on stage said they would agree to,” said Alex Buchmann, a student at Hillsdale College.

But the most fascinating opinion among some of the young conservatives was what the future of the Republican Party looks like. “The only positive thing that could come out of this election is the end of the mainstream Republican Party,” said Ian Canty, a college student.

Many of the attendees agreed that the backyard bullying and mud-slinging strategy only works to the detriment of the Grand Old Party and that embracing the eventual nominee is what the party and its leaders need to do. For some at CPAC, the party didn’t win because all the candidates are losers.

“Everybody lost,” said Ian Canty. “Kasich had the advantage of looking like an adult and looking mature but his poll numbers don’t reflect that,” he added.

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“I think they all lost. I think it was funny to see Cruz and Rubio try to tag team Trump — but it wasn’t presidential,” said Fred, a student at George Mason University.

“I don’t think there was a clear winner last night,” said a couple from Florida.

But, who was the loser of the debate — well, it certainly wasn’t Donald Trump. “The one who lost the least was Trump,” said a Hillsdale student. “Somehow everything thrown at him doesn’t stick,” the student said, a point echoed by many attendees at the conference.

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“The fact that they are adopting what he’s doing and constantly fighting with him concedes that fact that he’s winning,” said Hunter Derensis, a student at George Mason University.

A majority of the attendees realized that Trump is always able to respond no matter what is thrown at him whether it be in a debate or on the campaign trail.

Undoubtedly, Trump had everything to gain at the GOP debate on Thursday night with his competitors coming together in a joint effort to take him down — which only played to the GOP front-runner’s benefit as the other candidates on stage looked weak and petulant in his shadow.