FACTBOX: Quotes from Republican candidates debate

(Reuters) - Republican presidential hopefuls gathered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Thursday for a televised debate and defended their positions on a range of issues, including economic policy and growing concerns that the United States is headed for a recession.

Here are some key quotes.

JOHN MCCAIN, ARIZONA SENATOR:

"I don't think we're headed into a recession. I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong and I believe they will remain strong. This is a rough patch but I think America's greatness lies ahead of us."

MITT ROMNEY, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR:

"Knowing how America works is more important than learning how Washington works. ... I've seen jobs come and go. I'll make sure jobs come to America."

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR:

"If we want to be a party that can run and win in states that Ronald Reagan won ... we're going to have to take a really good look at what made up the Reagan coalition. It was a broad outreach, an inclusive one, not one that kept people away."

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR:

"We need to make sure that we communicate that our party is just as interested in helping the people who are single moms, who are working two jobs and still just barely paying the rent, as we are with the people at the top of the economy."

FRED THOMPSON, FORMER TENNESSEE SENATOR:

"We still have a bunch of two-handed economists in Washington. On the one hand, we may go into recession and, on the other hand, we may not. Nobody knows. But I think that as we proceed, we need to count on the Fed (Federal Reserve Board) doing the right thing in terms of the interest rates."

RON PAUL, TEXAS CONGRESSMAN:

"What we need to do is deal with monetary policy and not pretend that artificial stimulus by more spending is going to help. That won't do one bit of good."

(Compiled by JoAnne Allen; Editing by David Alexander)