The situation between the Republicans and President Donald Trump is heating up as the Iowa caucuses approach. In an unprecedented move, President Trump has announced that he will not participate in the upcoming GOP debate in Iowa and instead will hold a competing town hall event the same night. He intends to hold the town hall in a different city, simultaneously to the scheduled debate.
The news of this radical move met with plenty of shock and confusion from Republican strategists and the political public alike. Despite the President’s various public criticisms of Fox News in the past, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham had stated that the GOP debate in Iowa on January 28th was “still on his schedule” and that he was “looking forward to it.”
However, the following day Grisham decided it best to address the concerns via a statement:
“This is a longstanding tradition for Presidents in both parties and President Trump has decided it is best for him to wait for the South Carolina debate and the remaining debates. At the same time, he acknowledges the upcoming Iowa caucuses and the other early state processes are very important and he does not want to do anything which might hurt his chances. By skipping the Iowa debate, he is giving people the chance to hear from other candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the important early states.”
Grisham’s statement suggests that the President is unwilling to risk losing or hurting his chances in the primary by debating in Iowa and has decided to instead engage in a more controlled and comfortable environment for himself. It is very likely that President Trump feels confident in his position as the frontrunner in the Republican primaries and is not ready to risk any potential damage in the early states.
As of now, it is unknown how the other members of the Republican party will react to this announcement and if it will have any impact on the primary election. Some fear that it may create a rift between President Trump and the GOP as the Iowa poll is seen as an important vote in the overall election process. Only time will tell if this contentious move will hurt or benefit his campaign.
The situation between the Republicans and President Donald Trump is heating up as the Iowa caucuses approach. In an unprecedented move, President Trump has announced that he will not participate in the upcoming GOP debate in Iowa and instead will hold a competing town hall event the same night. He intends to hold the town hall in a different city, simultaneously to the scheduled debate.
The news of this radical move met with plenty of shock and confusion from Republican strategists and the political public alike. Despite the President’s various public criticisms of Fox News in the past, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham had stated that the GOP debate in Iowa on January 28th was “still on his schedule” and that he was “looking forward to it.”
However, the following day Grisham decided it best to address the concerns via a statement:
“This is a longstanding tradition for Presidents in both parties and President Trump has decided it is best for him to wait for the South Carolina debate and the remaining debates. At the same time, he acknowledges the upcoming Iowa caucuses and the other early state processes are very important and he does not want to do anything which might hurt his chances. By skipping the Iowa debate, he is giving people the chance to hear from other candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the important early states.”
Grisham’s statement suggests that the President is unwilling to risk losing or hurting his chances in the primary by debating in Iowa and has decided to instead engage in a more controlled and comfortable environment for himself. It is very likely that President Trump feels confident in his position as the frontrunner in the Republican primaries and is not ready to risk any potential damage in the early states.
As of now, it is unknown how the other members of the Republican party will react to this announcement and if it will have any impact on the primary election. Some fear that it may create a rift between President Trump and the GOP as the Iowa poll is seen as an important vote in the overall election process. Only time will tell if this contentious move will hurt or benefit his campaign.
