Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel put 2024 GOP aspirants on notice Monday, warning them to pledge support for the nominee.
Some contenders, including former President Donald Trump and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), have pushed back on the commitment, which the RNC wants in exchange for letting hopefuls participate in the debates. McDaniel countered that it is a sensible request.
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“If I said I wouldn’t support the nominee of our party, I’d be kicked out,” McDaniel told Fox and Friends on Wednesday morning. “So why would we host a debate stage without every candidate saying, I’m going to support whoever the voters choose?”
In the 2016 cycle, the RNC circulated a pledge seeking to abate fears that candidates such as Trump could mount a third-party challenge. Critics such as Trump and Hutchinson raised concerns that a mandate to back the eventual nominee could compel them to back a candidate they don’t support.
Hutchinson argued the party should instead ask candidates to promise not to mount a third-party challenge. But McDaniel insisted that the step is needed to keep the party competitive with the Democrats.
“It’s about beating Joe Biden. It’s about beating what’s happening in this country right now, and we can only do that united. So we want every candidate to pledge that heading into this,” she continued.
The first debate is set to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which the RNC voted on back in February. McDaniel revealed Wednesday that Fox News has been selected as a moderator of the debate.
A date has not yet been set, but the debate is slated for sometime in August. McDaniel said, “We will know the date soon.”
“It’s in August in Milwaukee, really beautiful time to be in the Midwest,” she quipped.
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On Tuesday, Democrats revealed Chicago is set to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention, edging out bids from other large cities such as New York and Atlanta.
“We look forward to the DNC’s convention, where their radical agenda will be on full display for the world to see. Voters will soundly reject whichever out-of-touch liberal the Democrats nominate in Chicago,” McDaniel said.
