Trump Asks Fox To Cancel Debates
In a statement released on Monday night, the Trump campaign called for an immediate cancellation of all remaining Republican National Committee (RNC) primary debates. Campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita urged the RNC to redirect their resources toward ensuring election integrity instead.
The statement reads, “The Republican National Committee should immediately cancel the upcoming debate in Miami and end all future debates in order to refocus its manpower and money on preventing Democrats’ efforts to steal the 2024 election.” The campaign argued that continuing with the debates would be an admission that the party is not taking concerns about voter integrity seriously.
This is not the first time the Trump campaign has called for the cancellation of RNC debates. After the most recent debate held late last month, the campaign issued a similar statement, citing polling that showed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis won the debate. DeSantis, the only other consistent double-digit polling candidate, has since challenged Trump to a one-on-one debate.
DeSantis’ challenge came as he accused Trump of attacking him on social media since 2022 when all Republicans were supposed to be united for a “red wave” in the midterm elections. DeSantis called on Trump to “step up on stage” and “do it to my face,” saying he was ready for it. He also proposed a one-on-one debate moderated by Sean Hannity, a conservative commentator.
The Trump campaign’s statement on Monday also highlighted the recent fundraising quarter, which ended on September 30. Candidates have until October 15 to file their quarterly fundraising numbers.
The call for cancellation of debates comes amid growing concerns about the integrity of elections, particularly after the 2020 election. Trump and his allies continue to push baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, despite numerous investigations and court rulings debunking these claims.
The RNC has not yet responded to the Trump campaign’s statement. However, this is not the first time the RNC has been under pressure to prioritize election integrity. In August, DeSantis and 11 other Republican governors sent a letter to the RNC urging them to devote all resources to ensuring election integrity, rather than raising funds for party infrastructure.
As the 2022 midterm elections approach, the issue of election integrity is likely to remain a hot topic among Republican candidates and party officials. The cancelation of RNC debates could indicate a shift towards a more focused effort on addressing concerns about election integrity within the party.