Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is challenging 2016 GOP presidential rival Donald Trump to a one-on-one, 90-minute debate before the Iowa caucuses on Monday.
“If Donald is afraid of Megyn Kelly, I would like to invite him on your show to participate in a one-on-one debate, between me and Donald, mano-a-mano,” Mr. Cruz said Tuesday on radio host Mark Levin’s show.
Mr. Trump’s campaign says the businessman will not participate in Thursday’s debate on Fox News. Mr. Trump had objected to the participation of Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who he says treated him unfairly during the first GOP debate in August.
Mr. Cruz said Mr. Levin, Fox News host Sean Hannity, or radio host Rush Limbaugh could serve as the moderator.
“But you know what? If he’s afraid of Megyn Kelly, if he’s afraid of you, if he’s afraid of Hannity and afraid of Rush, then we could do it without any moderators whatsoever,” Mr. Cruz said. “I’m happy to go an hour and a half, mano-a-mano, me and Donald, with no moderators, anytime before the Iowa caucuses.”
“That’s what a candidate who actually wants to work for the people, wants to earn the support of the people will do, is you stand up and defend your record,” Mr. Cruz said.
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“He’s been saying this past week that he thinks I’m stupid,” Mr. Cruz said. “He should do very, very well in a debate with someone who’s so stupid, away from moderators that he is so afraid of.”
Mr. Cruz also said he thought Mr. Levin would be a terrific moderator, but that Mr. Trump could pick his own moderator if he was too scared.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz have been leading the rest of the GOP field in recent polling on Iowa ahead of Monday’s caucuses.
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Wednesday that Mr. Trump would be “happy” to debate Mr. Cruz if it came down to a two-person race between them.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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