RNC chairwoman says Trump skipping primary debate would be ‘a mistake’
Julia Johnson
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Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said it would be a “mistake” for former President Donald Trump not to attend the primary debate next month.
“I think it’s a mistake to not do the debate, but that’s going to be up to him and his campaign,” she said on Fox & Friends on Wednesday.
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“Have you tried to talk him into it?” host Steve Doocy asked.
McDaniel confirmed that she has spoken to the former president about it and said, “I think he should be on the stage. I want everybody on the stage that qualifies, obviously.”
In her argument for Trump’s attendance, she said it’s important to winning the nomination. Trump notably holds a double-digit lead over each of his Republican competitors roughly six months from the first caucuses, but front-runners have gone on to lose in the past.
“This is an audience of 20-million-people-plus,” she explained. “Why wouldn’t we get in front of them before we go against Joe Biden?”
McDaniel argued that President Joe Biden “has the legacy media on his side.” Because of this, it’s important to take any opportunity to capture the attention of voters, she said.
Trump has said he is still unsure of whether he will take the debate stage on Aug. 23.
“I haven’t really made up my mind,” he said earlier this week.
He added that asking him to debate the other candidates, whom he leads, is unfair.
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“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?” he said.
Trump’s campaign did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.