Donald Trump undecided about participating in initial GOP debate.
Former President Donald Trump’s Decision on GOP Presidential Candidate Debate
Former President Donald Trump is keeping the political world on its toes as he contemplates whether or not to appear at the first GOP presidential candidate debate. With a commanding lead in the polls, Trump questions the necessity of participating in the debate.
“When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,”
Trump stated during an interview on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. He highlighted his impressive average polling numbers, ranging from 50 to 60% in most polls.
Trump further explained his reasoning, asking why he would subject himself to questions from candidates who are polling at significantly lower numbers.
“Why would you let somebody that’s at 0 or 1 or 2 or 3 be popping you with questions?”
A recent analysis by RealClearPolitics confirms Trump’s dominance in the polls, with an average of 53% support. His closest competitor, Gov. Ron DeSantis, trails behind with a distant 20.6%.
Meanwhile, other GOP candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, struggle to gain traction, polling in the single digits.
When asked about concerns that skipping the debate might allow DeSantis or another candidate to gain ground, Trump dismissed the notion.
“Or somebody else has a good night and cuts into his lead, because that’s what’s happening. He’s going down, and a couple of them are going up,”
Trump confidently remarked about DeSantis.
DeSantis’s campaign has faced recent scrutiny, with officials acknowledging that his initial momentum has stalled. Steve Cortes, a top DeSantis PAC official, admitted that DeSantis is “way behind” in national polling.
While DeSantis acknowledges the uphill battle he faces in the 2024 election, he remains determined to earn his place.
“You’ve got to earn it,”
DeSantis stated, acknowledging the challenges ahead.
As for primary debates against President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee, Trump has also decided, at least for now, not to participate. This lack of primary debates against a sitting president is not unprecedented, as Trump faced few GOP challengers in the 2020 election and did not engage in debates with them.
Trump understands Biden’s reluctance to participate in debates, given his substantial lead in the polls.
“I understand why he doesn’t want to do it. I truly understand,”
Trump empathized. He expressed doubts about Biden’s capability to handle debates but emphasized the point that, with such a significant lead, there seems to be little incentive for Biden to engage in them.
The political landscape remains dynamic as Trump weighs his options, leaving both supporters and opponents eagerly awaiting his final decision.
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