Elder and Hurd oppose RNC’s exclusion of debate candidates.
Republican National Committee Announces Debate Lineup, Frustrations Arise
Following the announcement by the Republican National Committee (RNC) of the eight presidential candidates eligible for its first primary debate, a couple of candidates who did not make the cut expressed their frustrations.
On social media, long-shot GOP candidates Larry Elder, former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, and Perry Johnson voiced their disappointment with the RNC’s debate qualifications. Elder even threatened to sue the RNC.
“I intend to sue the RNC to halt Wednesday’s presidential debate,” Elder said. “I said from the beginning that it appeared the rules of the game were rigged, little did we know just how rigged it is. For some reason, the establishment leaders at the RNC are afraid of having my voice on the debate stage. Just as I had to fight to successfully be on the ballot in the California recall election, I will fight to be on that debate stage because I fully met all of the requirements to do so.”
To be eligible for the debate, candidates had to meet certain criteria, including a 40,000-donor threshold and polling at least 1% in national polls or in early nominating states. Elder, however, consistently polled below 1% in multiple polls, according to RealClearPolitics.
“The RNC Committee on Debates meets in Milwaukee today. Are they even aware their leaders are keeping voices off the stage that qualified?” Elder continued. “I’m calling for a discussion and a vote of the full committee on the rigged polling criteria set by the anti-conservative, anti-Trump RNC establishment.”
Hurd also expressed his disagreement with the RNC’s loyalty pledge required of all participating candidates. He stated, “I have said from day one of my candidacy that I will not sign a blood oath to Donald Trump.”
Like Elder, Hurd claimed to have met the donor threshold and registered in multiple polls, but criticized the lack of transparency and clarity in the RNC’s decision-making process.
“The lack of transparency and confusion around the RNC’s debate requirements is antithetical to the democratic process,” Hurd said. “The polling standards are arbitrary, unclear, and lack consistency. This is an unacceptable process for a presidential election. The American people deserve better.”
Johnson, another candidate who did not make the debate, also criticized the process, calling it “corrupted.” He asserted that his campaign had met all the requirements and promised to share more details in the coming days.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the fourth candidate excluded from the debate, has not commented on the situation. The RNC disputed his claims of meeting the requirements, and it remains uncertain whether he will suspend his campaign.
The RNC announced that the eight candidates who qualified for the debate are Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
Notably, front-runner Donald Trump will skip the debate and instead release a prerecorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, diverting media attention from the event.
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