Staff Reports
Republican advisors have reported that the former President of the United States, Donald Trump, is considering skipping at least one of the first presidential debates of 2024. Trump has been allegedly boasting to his advisors about his early lead in recent polls where he leads Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by over 30 points. Consequently, he has stated that joining the pre-election debates would simply grant an unnecessary platform to his opponents, who are currently wallowing in single digits.
Trump Explains Why He May Skip Primary Debates: "I'm Up By Too Many Points"https://t.co/5f8QaxNoQA
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Josh Dunlap🇺🇲🇺🇲 ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) May 3, 2023
The Republican National Committee has announced that the first debate would take place in August, which gives at least five months for the field to grow, and for new polls to be taken. Noteworthy candidates such as Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and DeSantis have toyed with running, but Trump has managed to remain dominant amongst the GOP faithful.
ICYMI📺: @SallyGold joined @CNNThisMorning with @PoppyHarlowCNN and @kaitlancollins to talk through Donald Trump suggesting he may skip out on 2024 GOP debates. pic.twitter.com/HAkc86iC35
— POLITICO Press (@POLITICOPress) April 26, 2023
Having experienced first-hand the importance of debates leading up to early-voting state primaries, Trump has credited the 2015 presidential debates for giving his campaign early momentum to notch up wins on the trail. However, Trump may opt to skip the presidential debates due to his negative history with sponsors like Fox News and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
While Haley and DeSantis have been invited to give speeches at the library, it has never extended such an offer to the former President. Trump may find it hard to resist attending the debates if his rivals continue to criticize his tenure in the White House as chaotic, a theme that DeSantis has already been promoting as he prepares to jump into the race in the coming weeks.
This decision by Trump can be seen as politically savvy and demonstrates that he is confident in his early lead. It also shows that he will not be intimidated by potential rivals on the GOP side of the aisle, highlighting his bold and confident leadership. It remains to be seen if other candidates will follow suit and decline a spot in the debates, realizing that they stand no chance against Trump.
