RNC spokesperson Paris Dennard | Paris Dennard Facebook page
RNC spokesperson Paris Dennard | Paris Dennard Facebook page
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has threatened to withdraw from debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates due to longstanding rules that RNC spokesperson Paris Dennard called unfair and biased.
"The ball is in the court of the debate commission," Denard said to Fox News. "We've met with them, in person, virtually, sent them multiple letters, and yet they still come to the same conclusion they're unwilling to do these commonsense reforms to make the debate process more fair for moving forward for the 2024 election year."
On Jan. 13, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel sent a letter with a list of complaints that included concerns over how moderators are selected, which is a major point of contention, and a demand to have debates take place before early voting.
"The RNC will initiate the process of amending the Rules of the Republican Party at our upcoming Winter Meeting to prohibit future Republican nominees from participating in CPD-sponsored debates," McDaniel wrote in her letter. The winter meeting will be held in February.
Dennard said that the current structure of debates is unfair to Republicans, and the RNC would not encourage candidates to participate in something that is not objective.
"You have tens of thousands of people voting without ever hearing the two candidates for president in a fair and objective manner," Denard said in regard to presidential debates occurring after the early voting period begins.
The Commission on Presidential Debates was formed in 1988 and has always chosen the moderators of debates as well as neutral sites for the debates to take place. It was created by Democrats and Republicans and is the only organization to host presidential debates.
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