The Republican National Committee (RNC) voted to leave the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) in 2022 due to what it perceived as biases against its party. Some critics of the RNC decision believe Republican candidates are simply afraid of tough questions and would rather see Fox News hosts as moderators.
Straight Arrow News contributor John Fortier believes debates are an important part of the election process, and he argues that some Republican critiques of past formats are valid and calls for changes are warranted.
One controversial change that Republicans have made to their primary debates is to require that all participants agree to support the ultimate Republican nominee in the fall 2024 general election.
Candidates are often informally asked about this during debates but this time the RNC is requiring that each candidate sign a pledge as a condition of participating in the debate.
Not everyone is happy with this requirement, but it is a step toward orienting primary debates in the right direction. The point of the debates and the campaign is for the party to select and get behind the nominee to win in the fall election. There can be many differences within a party but support of the party’s presidential nominee is core to what it means to be a political party.
Most voters take for granted that we will have presidential debates. This year there’s more uncertainty because we are asking appropriate questions about the role of the debates. We will have to make changes to ensure that the American people get to see the debates that they deserve.