With the Republican presidential primary in full swing, it appears as though Donald Trump may not be the only one to skip the upcoming GOP debate. In recent weeks, speculation has been swirling over whether or not Trump will make the cut for the next primary debate, which is hosted by NBC.
Now, it seems as though other candidates might be joining him in not attending the debate. While it’s still unknown if Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Marco Rubio will attend, they could very well decide to forgo the event. Gov. Kasich, who has been lagging in the polls, could use this as an opportunity to refocus his energy on other areas of his campaign, while Rubio could see his absence as a way to recharge his campaign after a series of losses.
However, the main reason why other candidates may not show up has to do with the debate itself. In the past, both Trump and Kasich have both expressed their dissatisfaction with the Republican debates, citing a need for more civil discourse and an overall less chaotic atmosphere. Either way, the prospect of more than one high-profile Republican not showing up could potentially throw a wrench into the entire primary process.
The other candidates have yet to announce their intentions, but it looks more and more likely that Trump may not be the only Republican candidate to opt out of the upcoming debate. It remains to be seen what, if any, effects this could have on the outcome of the primary. What is certain is that it makes the lead-up to that particular debate just that much more uncertain, and the stakes have just gotten a little higher.
