Trump Holding Fundraiser Instead of Appearing at Republican Presidential Debate
NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — As his Republican primary rivals return to the debate stage next week, former President Donald Trump will headline a closed-door fundraiser in Florida.
Trump’s campaign has been advertising a chance to win tickets to the “end-of-year reception” Dec. 6 in Hallandale Beach, Florida, near Miami.
The former president has chosen to skip his party’s three previous primary debates, citing his commanding lead in early polling. But his decision not to schedule a public counterprogramming event to upstage the debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, marks a change in strategy.
During the previous debate timeframe, Trump held a rally in Hialeah. In lieu of the second debate, he traveled to a Michigan auto-parts plant.
A senior Trump aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity to address the decision, cited waning interest in the debates given Trump’s dominant front-runner status.
Trump and his campaign have called on the RNC to cancel the remainder of the debates and instead focus on backing him against Biden.
Copyright 2023 NEWSnet and The Associated Press. All rights reserved.