Washington, Oct 25: Former US President Donald Trump has decided to skip the third GOP presidential primary debate and, instead, hold a rival rally near the Miami area. He justifies this decision by emphasizing the “futility” of participating in the debate when he believes he is “miles ahead of eight competitors.”
Trump’s announcement caught the Republican National Committee (RNC) by surprise, underscoring the growing divide between him and the GOP establishment regarding the selection of a 2024 presidential nominee, as reported by various media outlets. Is.
According to CNN, Trump’s decision to hold a counterprogramming event on the same debate night near the Miami area, where other Republican candidates are scheduled to face off, has created tension between his team and the RNC. Citing his strong lead in the polls, Trump has avoided participating in any debate. However, the decision to host a competing event in the same vicinity has angered some Republicans, with one insider calling it a “slap in the face” for the RNC.
Trump’s allies have attempted to justify the decision by pointing to public frustration at the RNC’s insistence on holding the debate despite a substantial lead over the rest of the field. His top campaign advisers have called on the RNC to cancel the upcoming debate in Miami and put all future debates on hold to reallocate resources to the 2024 fight against Democrats.
Even before the debate, Trump’s relationship with the RNC, led by his chair-elect, Ronna McDaniel, had become increasingly strained. Trump has expressed resentment against the RNC for its perceived lack of support during his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. Multiple sources revealed that Trump accused the RNC of not providing suitable lawyers to contest the election results in Georgia at both the federal and district levels. Conversely, some RNC leaders have argued that Trump failed to establish an effective legal infrastructure for his 2020 campaign.
Additionally, Trump has questioned why the RNC has remained neutral in the 2024 GOP presidential primary election rather than endorsing him even though he consistently leads in Gallup polls. The RNC’s approach has been to monitor the GOP primary impartially, providing all candidates with an equal opportunity to secure the Republican nomination for president.
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Trump appointed Ronna McDaniel as GOP chair in 2016 and replaced several Republican committee members with his own loyalists. However, most Republicans blame McDaniel for the GOP’s disappointing performance in the 2022 midterms, where they failed to achieve the expected “red tsunami.” Several of Trump’s nominees lost, and the House returned with a slim Republican majority of 212 to 203.
Trump’s allies have expressed concerns about McDaniel’s leadership, particularly in terms of the party’s messaging strategy and voter appeal. While McDaniel announced that his current term as chair would be his “last”, discussions are ongoing about possible organizational changes at the RNC if Trump becomes the 2024 presidential nominee.
An RNC leader said, “It’s not unusual for the nominee to make some changes to the RNC, and I think Trump will do that, but nothing is planned.” McDaniel’s term is set to expire in a year and a half, making it possible that his role could be reconsidered if Trump secures the 2024 presidential nomination.