Trump skipping the third debate: Donald Trump will not be participating in the third Republican presidential debate, indicating that he is unlikely to debate this cycle at all.
Donald Trump Is Running from Debates…Again
Donald Trump did not participate in the first two Republican presidential debates this cycle but remains far ahead in the polls of the contest. Therefore, he has been open about not really wanting any part in debating the opponents who are so far behind him.
Now, Trump plans to skip the third debate as well- and hold his own event nearby.
According to WUSF, Trump plans to rally in Hialeah on November 8, the same night that the other Republican candidates will debate in downtown Miami, about 11 miles away. Miami-Dade is an area that swung dramatically to Trump’s column in the 2020 election, helping him win Florida easily. The state is governed, however, by a different presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis.
The night of the second debate, an interview Trump conducted with Tucker Carlson appeared on X, formerly Twitter, although the interview had been recorded a few days earlier.
Trump’s campaign, in fact, has called for the remaining debates to be canceled.
“Anything less, along with other reasons not to cancel, are an admission to the grassroots that their concerns about voter integrity are not taken seriously and national Republicans are more concerned about helping Joe Biden than ensuring a safe and secure election,” Trump’s campaign said at the beginning of October.
Politico reported in mid-October that the November 8 debate will be hosted by a group of media companies, including NBC News, Rumble, and the Salem Radio Network, although moderators have not yet been named. Fox News hosted the first two debates.
Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy has indicated that he too might sit out the next debate.
“My view is what best advances substantive debate for the future of the Republican Party and the future of our country, and so we’re weighing what best accomplishes that,” the candidate told Fox News recently.
As of the middle of last week, only DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Ramaswamy had qualified for the third debate, meeting the RNC’s threshold of a sufficient amount of poll support and individual donors- a threshold that rises as the debate cycle goes on. Candidates, however, have until two days before the debate to qualify.
As of last week, Trump still held a massive lead over his opponents, although it was off from his highest lead of the year, according to the Morning Consult tracking poll.
That poll had Trump still in the lead with 59 percent support, followed by DeSantis with 14 percent, Haley and Ramaswamy with 7 percent each, Mike Pence with 6 percent, and Chris Christie with 3 percent. Sen. Tim Scott — whose Super PAC reportedly recently pulled plans for fall ads — is at just 2 percent.
Puck, prior to the announcement of the NBC deal for the third debate, reported earlier this month that the RNC had “sought guarantees that MSNBC will not simulcast the debate, presumably because the Republicans don’t want to be seen as doing any favors for the enemy.”
The report added that ABC News and CBS News are hoping to host future Republican debates, perhaps ahead of the New Hampshire and Nevada primaries next year. The report noted that because the media conglomerates that own them are considering selling off the legacy broadcast networks, there’s a decent chance these will be the last-ever presidential debates on those networks, at least in their current form.
The general election presidential debates are typically broadcast simultaneously on all broadcast networks and cable news stations, although after the RNC, in 2022, withdrew its participation from the Commission on Presidential Debates, it’s now unclear what form such debates will take in the future.
“We are going to find newer, better debate platforms to ensure that future nominees are not forced to go through the biased CPD in order to make their case to the American people,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said at the time.
Author Expertise and Experience
Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Stephen has authored thousands of articles over the years that focus on politics, technology, and the economy for over a decade. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
From the Vault
