Businesswoman Carly Fiorina said Thursday she will sign a pledge promising to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee and not launch an independent bid if she fails to secure the 2016 GOP nomination, saying that while the pledge is essentially unenforceable, it sends a signal that people can count on candidates to keep their word.
“I certainly think that Donald Trump should sign such a pledge,” Ms. Fiorina said on CNN’s “New Day.”
Mr. Trump is reportedly meeting with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus Thursday and has a media availability scheduled for 2 p.m.
At the first prime-time GOP presidential debate last month, he was the only candidate to raise his hand when the 10 candidates were asked if there was anyone onstage unwilling to pledge support for the eventual nominee and and pledge to swear off an independent run against the eventual nominee.
Mr. Trump has said he would not launch an independent bid if he fails to secure the GOP nomination if feels he’s been treated fairly.
Ms. Fiorina agreed that the pledge is “unenforceable.”
“It is, more than anything else, your word, and I would presume that somebody running for president would like to signal to the American people, and most especially right now to Republican primary voters, that their word can be trusted,” she said. “And I think the point is that if you’re going to run as a Republican in a Republican primary, then you’re declaring that you are a Republican.”
“It’s not simply a run of convenience — this is about, hopefully, some degree of principle,” she said. “So we’ll see what Mr. Trump does.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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