RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel ‘holding out hope’ Trump will join GOP debate

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel pleaded Sunday for Donald Trump to change his mind and participate in Wednesday’s first presidential primary debate in Milwaukee.

The former president, citing his commanding lead in the polls, confirmed that same day that he will not debate. He’s expected to conduct instead a dueling interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

“I’m still holding out hope that President Trump will come,” Ms. McDaniel said on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I think it’s so important that the American people hear from all the candidates.”

She went on to praise the party’s crowded primary field and the diversity of the candidates who have qualified for the first debate by meeting the RNC’s polling, fundraising and loyalty pledge requirements.

“This is going to be the most diverse debate stage we’ve ever had as a party, but that’s what we’re seeing in our party as well,” Ms. McDaniel said.

The latest poll, released Sunday, showed Mr. Trump’s lead growing to a whopping 46 percentage points over his nearest opponent. The CBS News/YouGov survey showed Mr. Trump at 62% support followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 16% and the remaining candidates in single digits.

Mr. Trump bragged about the poll several times on his social media site Truth Social Sunday and said because supporters know his previous record on issues, he would therefore not show for the debate.

“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more,” he posted.

“I will therefore not be doing the debates!” he said in screaming all capital letters.

Mr. Trump leads the Republican primary field by an average of more than 40 points in the polls.

His former vice president and fellow 2024 presidential candidate, Mike Pence, said before Sunday afternoon’s statement that Mr. Trump’s previous threats to skip the debate may just be bluffs.

“You know, I served alongside the president for a long time, and one thing I realized about him is it’s not over till it’s over,” Mr. Pence said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I’m actually still hoping he shows up.”

Meanwhile, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson revealed Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” he’d reached the donor threshold of 40,000 individual donations to qualify for a spot on stage. 

He’d previously met the RNC’s polling stipulation and said he would sign the GOP loyalty pledge to support whomever the eventual nominee is, despite his fierce opposition to Mr. Trump.

“I’ll sign the pledge. I’m confident that Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee of the party, and I’ve always supported the nominee,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “I’m going to sign the pledge and be on there.”

The CBS News/YouGov poll also showed that GOP voters want the candidates to focus less on battling Mr. Trump and more on socioeconomic issues that have received less attention thanks to a crowded primary.

A leaked campaign memo to The New York Times last week showed Mr. DeSantis may shift his campaign strategy amid slumping poll numbers to go softer on Mr. Trump and harder on biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who’s gained ground in recent months and was at 7% in the CBS/YouGov survey.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, made the case that it’s perhaps time for the party to narrow the field as her state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses set for January draw closer. She reiterated that she’s currently remaining neutral in the race.

“I think we have a great field of candidates right now, and I think we don’t need more candidates in the field. We probably need less,” Ms. Reynolds said on “Fox News Sunday.” The Iowa caucuses’ “role is really not to protect the winner, but to really start to narrow the field.”