The former president of the United States, Donald Trump, does not plan to participate in the second debate of the Republican candidates, as in the first, a decision that caused the division of the voters of the party as to whether this strategy is in favor.
“I don’t have a problem with him not debating,” said Marilyn Moses, a registered nurse and self-identified Trump supporter from Zionsville, Indiana. “If you’re ahead in the polls, why should I? “I mean, Biden didn’t debate on the Democratic side, and nobody’s talking about it.”
Historically, expectations have been different for sitting presidents. According to the University of Virginia Center for Politics, no sitting president has participated in a primary debate, even those facing significant challenges.
“Also, as I’m sure you know, Trump has a lot going on right now,” he told VOA, referring to the many criminal charges he faces.
Despite the big advantages over all of his Republican opponents, there are some members of the party who are unhappy with Trump’s strategy.
“I’m disappointed in their decision not to debate,” William Keene, a former Pismo Beach, California, police officer, told VOA. “His decision may be wise for him, but not for the country. We deserve to see him fight for the ideas of other candidates. “There is no way I am voting for someone who is afraid to debate.”
It’s a strategy that seems to work. The Morning Consult conducted a survey of likely Republican primary voters a day after the first GOP primary debate last month. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they supported Trump for the presidential nomination.
