Staff Reports
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley are suiting up and getting ready for another go at the presidential debate rodeo. Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, is twiddling his thumbs and showing zilch interest in sharing a stage with his political opponents.
Networks want more GOP debates, but candidates aren't so sure https://t.co/pHgpoj2g6O
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 18, 2023
There’s a wrinkle in the plans for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy, who might not meet the criteria to join CNN’s upcoming showdown in Iowa. Tough luck, fellas!
CNN and ABC are eager to jump on the debate bandwagon, swooping in to host more of these candidate face-offs after four Republican National Committee events have already taken place. And boy, oh boy, do they want a piece of that sweet, sweet audience action.
But let’s not forget about Mr. DeSantis, who’s all set to keep the debating train chugging along. He’s been calling out Mr. Trump for refusing to debate and has made it crystal clear that he’s open to facing off against Ms. Haley and Mr. Trump himself.
And let’s not overlook the fact that the Republican National Committee has given the green light for candidates to take part in non-RNC sanctioned events. In other words, it’s a free-for-all, folks!
Mr. DeSantis didn’t waste a second before accepting an invitation to a CNN debate just days before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus. Meanwhile, Ms. Haley took her sweet time before agreeing to join in, making it clear that she wanted Mr. Trump in the mix.
With Mr. Trump’s support on the rise, it’s clear that his opponents are going to have a tough time making a dent in his lead. In Iowa, Mr. Trump’s support has shot up to 51%, leaving his rivals eating his dust.
And in New Hampshire, Mr. Trump’s backing has remained firm at around 45% since the debates first kicked off. His supporters are as loyal as can be, and it looks like nobody’s going to unseat Mr. Trump from his throne.
In short, it seems like these debates haven’t really changed the game for the other candidates. There’s still no consensus alternative to Mr. Trump, and it’s looking like the chairs are just being shuffled around the stage without any clear winner emerging.
