Trump threatens to skip first GOP debate and other candidates refuse to sign RNC loyalty pledge
The first GOP debate stage may not deliver the dramatic scene originally expected, as a growing number of candidates could choose to skip — while others struggle to meet the requirements to land on the podium.
With just two months to go, there are 15 candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 — and only a third of the field has so far met the requirements to debate in August.
Longshot candidates risk failing to qualify in time to reach the debate stage, while some front runners are threatening a boycott due to Republican National Committee (RNC) restrictions and rules.
The RNC will hold the first debate Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — a major swing state that voted red for Donald Trump in 2016 and turned blue for President Joe Biden in 2020.
Trump has threatened not to attend the debate, suggesting the event is beneath him because he has no serious challengers. Politico reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will not appear for the debate if Trump does not.
The first GOP debate stage of the 2024 primary could be virtually empty as a slew of candidates appear unlikely or unwilling to participate in the Aug. 23 event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Republican National Committee (RNC) — chaired by Ronna McDaniel (above) — this year implemented a “loyalty pledge” that requires candidates to sign an agreement to endorse the final nominee. This has put several candidates on edge, who claim they will not sign the pledge
DailyMail.com has reached out to DeSantis’ campaign team about whether he plans to participate in the August debate.
The 2016 GOP debate booth was pretty busy — but the RNC this time was determined to weed out candidates who have no serious prospect of winning or going far in the primary.
But instead of the intended outcome, front-runner candidates are now threatening to boycott the debates altogether.
The RNC created a “loyalty pledge” this year that requires candidates to sign an agreement to support whoever becomes the GOP nominee. This has created a problem not only for front-runner Trump, but also for more longshot candidates who claim it continues a pattern of “spinning the wheels” of the Republican Party around the former president.
Some candidates who don’t even meet the criteria to debate say they wouldn’t agree to sign the pledge given the chance.
Due to the stricter requirements, only five of the 15 candidates have been able to reach the debate stage in Milwaukee so far. This includes Trump, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
The real race starts August 23 in Milwaukee at the first debate. I’ll be there. We will level up as a party and a nation,” Ramaswamy said in a tweet on Sunday night, despite having the least chance of getting the nomination from those who qualified for the debate.
Trump and DeSantis joined by three others who have met the requirements to debate: former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (left), South Carolina Senator Tim Scott (right), and biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy
Self-made biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy – once a big longshot – has racked up enough donations and earned enough in polls to make it into the debate. He says he will be in Milwaukee on August 23 to debate
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who still needs to recruit 40,000 backers to qualify for the first debate hosted by Fox News, said the requirements are too strict this year.
“I think for those people who don’t make it to the debate, it’s very hard for them to argue why they should stay in the race, and I suspect they’ll struggle to raise money after that,” the presidential hopeful said of 2024. said.
Fellow longshot and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson has also openly expressed his distaste for the RNC’s pledge of loyalty.
Advisers to Trump — who continues to hold at least a 20-30 percent lead over second-placed DeSantis — have been insisting for months that the former president opposes participating in the August debate.
They argue that Trump sees no reason to run against candidates so far behind him in the polls and is still annoyed by Fox News’ coverage of him, which he says is unfair.
There are 15 candidates vying for the GOP nomination in 2024 — with Trump and DeSantis way ahead
“Why would I let these people shoot at me?” Trump said so in an interview on the Right Network last month.
Some feel that Trump could hold a competitive event on August 23 to distract from the debate in Milwaukee and divert viewers away from those who hire him in 2024.
Many longshot candidates see the loyalty pledge as a way for the RNC to give in to Trump and his base and have said they will not sign the condition to enter the debate this summer.
The second debate will take place at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. It is not yet known when the debate will take place and which media organization will host the event – or what requirements will be rolled out for the second debate.