Former President Donald Trump sees no reason to engage in any debates with his GOP rivals, citing his huge lead in the polls, and suggesting it wouldn’t be “fair” to do so.
“Ronald Reagan didn’t do it and a lot of other people didn’t do it. When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Trump added, “We have a lead of 50 and 60 points in some cases. … You’re leading people by 50 and 60 points, you say why would you be doing a debate? It’s actually not fair. Why would you let somebody that’s at zero or one or two or three be popping you with questions?”
Donald Trump: To Debate or Not to Debate…
Even as Trump has yet to decide if he will take part in the debates, a number of other contenders for the GOP presidential nomination are now seeking to meet the Republican National Committee’s (RNC’s) requirements to make the main stage for the first primary debate next month. But Trump has continued to maintain that there is no reason for him to show up, downplaying that it could benefit his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
“Do you see any risk that if you don’t show up, Ron DeSantis has a good night and it cuts into your lead?” Maria Bartiromo, host of “Sunday Morning Futures” asked Trump.
Instead of directly responding to the question, Trump deflected.
“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 replied, yet added that “I haven’t really made up my mind.”
DeSantis Will Be There
Though Donald Trump has yet to make up his mind, DeSantis has made it crystal clear that he plans to be on the debate stage in Milwaukee next month. It could be his campaign’s make-or-break moment.
“There’s a lot of Republican voters out there, they like what we’ve done in Florida. They know I’m a good governor … but they haven’t seen a lot about me up close and personal, so that gives us a great opportunity to be able to share our vision,” DeSantis also said on Sunday in an interview with Fox News’ “MediaBuzz.”
The Sunshine State governor added, “What we’ve found on the campaign trail in these early states when we’re able to make that case to voters directly, we get a tremendous response.”
It could be argued that he has failed to be outgoing enough. As The Daily Beast reported, DeSantis has largely limited his sit-down interviews to conservative media outlets, including Fox News and the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Yet, DeSantis has made it clear he will try to get into the spotlight – beyond the debate next month.
“The more I’m out there, the more support we get in these early states, and it is a state-by-state primary,” DeSantis explained. “So I think it would be political malpractice to be running for president fixated on national rather than Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina. So that’s what we’ve done. You can make up ground, and we are making up ground in all those states. That is not really going to be reflected in the national poll because they’re such small states that you’re not going to end up doing that. We have our eye on the prize.”
Setting the Record Straight
Politico.com also set the record straight on Trump’s statement that Reagan didn’t take part in debates. In fact, though then-candidate Ronald Reagan bypassed the first debate in Iowa, he did participate in GOP debates during the 1980 presidential election — and even paid for one in New Hampshire out of his own campaign funds.
There were no debates during the 1984 primary season when Reagan was seeking a second term, as Reagan had no significant Republican opposition.
Yet, even with his commanding lead, there is probably little reason for Trump to show up in Milwaukee on August 23. He has more to lose than to gain.
Even if DeSantis comes out ahead, Trump will have further opportunities to challenge his biggest foe. And if Trump’s prediction comes true, DeSantis could falter – enough that the former’s biggest rival is essentially removed from contention.
Will of the People
While all eyes are on Donald Trump and DeSantis, Washington Post columnist George Will suggested both candidates will come out of the GOP primary weaker. That will be regardless of whether they actually engage in fiery debates.
“The 2024 Republican nomination question was supposed to be: Could anyone harpoon the Great Orange Whale? Who knew that he would harpoon himself, repeatedly? Or that DeSantis, playing Captain Ahab, would pay Trump the sincerest form of flattery by imitating his persona as an unhappy warrior?” Will wrote last week.
Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night – make that campaign season.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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