The first Republican Presidential Primary debate takes place on Wednesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
But Donald Trump is expected to sit this one out.
And Donald Trump will be furious about the one word Ron DeSantis called him for skipping the first debate.
Fox News Channel will host the first GOP Presidential Primary debate on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET with hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum as moderators.
The Republican National Committee set a list of requirements candidates had to meet in order to qualify for the debate.
“To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates need to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls, between July 1 and Aug. 21, and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states,” the Associated Press reported.
Eight candidates have qualified for the first debate, including Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
However, only seven candidates are expected to appear on stage.
Even though he has yet to make a final decision, Donald Trump is currently planning on skipping the first debate because of his massive lead in the polls over the rest of the field.
“When you’re at 75, 78, 80% and other guys are at 0, 1%, you do say what’s the upside?” Trump said. “If you’re leading by a lot, what’s the purpose of doing it?”
But Never Back Down, the Super PAC supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, just released a hard-hitting ad calling Donald Trump “weak” for refusing to debate.
The ad begins by showing previous clips of Donald Trump calling out politicians who refuse to debate.
“I hear he’s afraid to debate,” Trump says in one clip.
“He’s too cowardly to even show up and debate,” Trump says in another clip.
The ad then shows Donald Trump saying “why would I allow these people to take potshots at me” in a recent interview. “These debates, they’re just brutal,” Trump says in another clip.
The narrator of the ad rips Trump as “too weak to debate.”
“We can’t afford a nominee who’s too weak to debate,” the voiceover states. “We need a nominee with stamina, a nominee who’s sharp.”
Never Back Down posted the video on social media, which now has more than a million views.
“Republicans need a nominee with stamina,” Never Back Down wrote. “A nominee who’s sharp. We deserve a candidate who earns our vote — not one who demands it.”
Republicans need a nominee with stamina. A nominee who's sharp.
We deserve a candidate who earns our vote — not one who demands it. pic.twitter.com/Tf3Cf4RrtX
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) August 16, 2023
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
