(NewsNation) — Milwaukee will host the first Republican presidential primary debate on Aug. 23, and GOP front-runner former President Donald Trump is still holding out on whether to participate.
“I want him to show up,” said Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), during an appearance on “The Hill on NewsNation.” “I think it is good for the American people to see debate.”
Debates are a key responsibility of the RNC, and Trump appears to be one of eight candidates who have met the RNC’s fundraising and polling requirements to qualify.
However, the RNC has also announced that candidates must pledge to support the eventual GOP presidential nominee, a promise that Trump has so far refused to make.
Trump has said his support would “depend on who the nominee was.”
McDaniel expressed her excitement for the debates and the potential interest they could garner from the American public.
“I think a lot of people are gonna tune in,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of interest.”
McDaniel noted that after a summer of post-COVID vacations and family gatherings, people are now tuning in to the presidential race, eager to assess the candidates and their policies.
However, Republicans warn that it would hurt the other candidates if Trump isn’t on stage because fewer voters will tune in to watch the event.
“He told me he could still change his mind,” McDaniel said. “And so, you know, President Trump is going to keep everyone guessing. He’s the ultimate entertainer. And I think this is part of what he does so well as he keeps his name in the news. But I want him to show up. I want all of them to show up.”
Recent poll numbers show a significant lead for Trump among potential Republican candidates. However, McDaniel remained cautious, recognizing the long road ahead to the primaries and the eventual nominee selection process.
“I view it less about getting a nomination and Republican versus Republican as setting a course to beat Joe Biden and making sure that we’re contrasting what our party stands for versus him,” she said.
McDaniel also said there is a deadline for Trump to decide to join the debate stage.
“There is a deadline from a Secret Service standpoint, from a staging standpoint, for all the candidates,” she said. “So that Monday night before the debate is when all the criteria has to be met.”
The Hill contributed to this report.