Republicans have never been afraid of debating the issues. Unlike the other side, which conspires to silence and censor anyone who disagrees with them, Republicans embrace the marketplace of ideas. Wednesday’s Republican presidential primary debate was a perfect example.
It was a privilege to have the opportunity to attend the first Presidential Debate as a guest of the RNC. The crowd was wild, and I was thrilled to see so many young engaged voters in the audience. Over the course of two hours in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, eight Republican contenders debated a wide range of pressing issues, including the Russia/Ukraine War, how much aid America should send to foreign nations, what limits the federal government can place on abortion, and what — if anything — should be done about climate change.
The shadow of 2020 dominated the discussion, as candidates debated what should have been done in the wake of a crooked election, the unjust Covid lockdowns, and the summer of rioting by BLM and Antifa.
Of course, one of the biggest subjects of discussion was not on the debate stage on Wednesday. Former President Donald Trump, who appears to be the frontrunner for the 2024 nomination, chose to skip the debate and instead spoke to Tucker Carlson on Twitter (now X). Rather than discussing his primary opponents, Trump took aim at the one man who is most responsible for our nation’s current predicament: President Joe Biden. Trump rightly called out Biden’s failed administration, from his foreign policy disasters to his plans to ban gas stoves. Trump also worried about the level of division in our country, but explained that as president he must represent all Americans.
These debates show the importance of next year’s presidential nominating caucus in Idaho. After the Secretary of State and the Legislature attempted to move the presidential primary from March to May, only to eliminate it entirely, and the Governor signed it into law, the Idaho Republican Party overwhelmingly agreed to host a nominating caucus on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
Registered Republicans are invited to meet with their neighbors and make their voices heard regarding the presidential nomination. The winner of Idaho’s caucus will earn our state’s delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention. We invite all of the Republican presidential candidates to come to Idaho and make their cases to our voters — I have already received word that several will be making that trip.
Ever since America’s first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, the GOP has led the way in wrangling with the most important issues of our time. The next president will shoulder the enormous responsibility of putting America back on track, which means the voice of the voters is more important than ever. Idaho Republicans are ready to play their part.
4 replies on “Republican Presidential Debate Highlights the Party’s Strength”
The GOP under failed Rona, trotted out the 8th grade Jr. Varsity to snipe at each other while President Trump got 190 million views or partial views on X. This party should go back to the bench and join the whigs and the Dodos as extinct. There are not 90,000,000 GOP supoorters in this country, but there are 90,000,000 Trump supporters. We need a new Conservtive party (no RINOs allowed.) Anybody suggest one?
Nominating anyone but Trump is a defacto acquiescence to the steal. A united and honest GOP would come right out and say this. This “debate” glosses over a clearly stolen election and gives credence to a criminal government.
I agree. Not only do the candidates gloss over the election fraud issues, but they also simply ignore how we can EVER TRUST any subsequent election to be legitimate. No one is talking about guarding against this. This MUST never happen again!
I agree. The debates are a joke. Why not have one on one debates without the moderators inserting themselves into the process? The debate format with more than two debaters on the stage is like a “romper room” with children screaming for attention. Let’s bring back the “Lincoln-Douglas” format. Sixty-ninety minutes one on one with no moderators. We could use this throughout all contested elections. For State legislative races we could have “backyard debates”. Incumbents would have to stand by their records. One other thing for Republicans to consider. No bigger campaign contributions to a campaign than $100. That way lobbyists and large corporations would not be able to have more of an influence on the outcome than “We The People”. This could be done not by a party rule or edict, but by asking all candidates in the party running in the primaries and the general election to take the “$100 pledge. And no contributions by individuals or businesses from outside the district.
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