Trump did not attend any of the three Republican debates, citing a commanding lead in the polls…reports Asian Lite News
Former US President Donald Trump will skip the fourth Republican primary debate scheduled to take place in Alabama next week and instead attend a fundraiser in Hallandale Beach, Florida, to raise money for MAGA, Inc., the super political action committee (PAC) supporting his 2024 candidacy to the White House.
Trump did not attend any of the three Republican debates, citing a commanding lead in the polls, reports CNN.
Instead, the former President has held an event for autoworkers in Detroit amid the union strike and put on a competing rally in Florida.
In a text message to supporters earlier this week, Trump’s campaign announced the “VIP reception” and told recipients that if they made donations, they would be automatically entered to win a trip to meet the former President at a reception on December 6, the same day as the third debate.
Earlier this month, Trump’s campaign called on the Republican National Committee (RNC) to cancel all future debates.
Even as the former President battles 91 criminal counts across four indictments, he is still the Republican primary’s frontrunner in both national and early state polling, CNN reported.
Meanwhile to appear in the fourth debate in Tuscaloosa, the Republican candidates will need to reach 80,000 unique donors with at least 200 in 20 states or territories and register at least 6 per cent in two qualifying national polls or in one national poll and two polls from separate early voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada.
The RNC also continues to require candidates to sign a pledge committing to support the eventual Republican nominee.
The third debate earlier this month saw Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott take the stage, with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson failing to meet the RNC’s threshold.
Scott has since joined former Vice President Mike Pence in suspending his White House bid.
Vivek’s top aide quits to join Trump campaign
A top political advisor left Indian-American Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign to join party rival and former President Donald Trump, according to media reports.
Brian Swensen formally resigned from his role as national political director for the Ramaswamy campaign over the weekend, CNN reported, citing Trump campaign sources as saying.
He is expected to be working on the campaign’s political operation in the early-voting states, specifically in Nevada, the report said.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Ramaswamy campaign, thanked Swensen for his work with the campaign and wished him well in the future.
“We absolutely love Brian and completely wish him the best. I think this is best for both campaigns,” McLaughlin told CNN, adding that Swensen’s responsibilities will now be overseen by senior adviser Mike Biundo.
Swensen’s departure comes weeks after Brandon Goodyear, the Ramaswamy team’s videographer, stepped away from the campaign earlier this month.
While Ramaswamy has qualified to be on stage next week in Alabama for the fourth Republican debate, he is not faring well in national polls with his single digit numbers, trailing behind fellow Indian-American Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
A 538/Washington Post/Ipsos poll of potential Republican primary voters who watched his third debate found his unfavorability rating rising 12 points to 47 per cent.
