The Republican National Committee (RNC) voted unanimously on Thursday to withdraw from the commission responsible for organizing presidential debates, according to NBC News.
“Debates are an important part of the democratic process, and the RNC is committed to free and fair debates,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. “The Commission on Presidential Debates is biased and has refused to enact simple and commonsense reforms to help ensure fair debates including hosting debates before voting begins and selecting moderators who have never worked for candidates on the debate stage.”
The RNC will also require Republican presidential candidates sign a pledge that they will only appear at party-sanctioned primary and general election debates.
The non-partisan Commission on Presidential debates was founded in 1987 with the sponsorship of both major political parties. But the commission drew the ire of Donald Trump amid a dismal debate performance that failed to boost his poor poll numbers.
After the first presidential debate in Cleveland, Trump took aim at moderator Chris Wallace, then a Fox News host, tweeting that the event amounted to a “two on one.” He withdrew from the second debate because organizers made it virtual following his Covid diagnosis.
