Posted on 02/17/2023 6:58:42 PM PST by Coronal
NEW YORK -- Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP's ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.
The proposal sets up a potential clash with former President Donald Trump, who has raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party and launching an independent candidacy if he does not win the GOP nomination outright. While RNC officials and Trump aides downplay that possibility, such a move could destroy the GOP's White House aspirations in 2024 and raise existential questions about the party's future.
“After the primary, it is imperative to the health and growth of our Republican Party, as well as the country, that we all come together and unite behind our nominee to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about the loyalty pledge.
As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest as the GOP braces for an all-out civil war in the months ahead.
Much of the party is eager to move past Trump and his divisive politics, but in reality, Republican leaders have few tools to control the former president given his popularity with the GOP's most passionate voters. RNC leaders are hopeful that a loyalty pledge, while ultimately unenforceable, would generate some shared commitment to unity, albeit a fragile one, as the presidential primary season takes off.
A senior Trump aide could not say whether the former president would sign the pledge to support the eventual nominee but suggested privately that he plans to participate in the debates. Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung declined to answer the question directly as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
This can work both ways.
Good luck with that Republicans.
Another “I hate Trump” measure. You’d think the dems would come up w/this garbage.
It's not like they're planning to steal the primary caucuses from Trump or anything.
Any plans to force the LEADERSHIP of the GOP to sign a “Loyalty Pledge”. If they had done so in 2016, Trump would have BLOWN AWAY Skunk Cabbage, instead of squeaking out a victory that gave the Democrats room to claim he ‘colluded’ with Russia.
They wouldn't do it FOR him; but they will do it TO him.
Republicans aren’t loyal to Trump. Why should he be loyal to them?
The GOP drifts closer to democratic communism. Party loyalty regardless of outcome is unamerican.
Does this mean they want to cheat…
If he signs a binding agreement, it would not be a good look for him to break it.
I think they tried to do something like this last time and he just refused, and let the American people know about it.
Agreeing with you that this move is further evidence of their disloyalty. What those jackasses are actually saying is that they didn’t want to defend or help him when the left rigged the election; and now they want to continue to cover up their cowardice and avoid accountability.
How about a loyalty pledge to the voters / America?
The GOP, as in the organization headed by Romney-McDaniel, and a loyalty pledge? No eff’n way. That bitch can go … (You fill in the blank)
Big deal.
Their word is worth less than a Zimbabwean Dollar Bill.
GOP can stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Bump
Do this, and the Republicans can kiss goodbye any chance they have of winning in 2024.
No, you are not going to be able to cleverly maneuver to screw Trump out of the nomination without it crushing your candidate.
Another loyalty pledge designed to get Trump’s endorsement while trying to cheat him out of the nomination. For Christ’s sake, we read the playbook!
Instead of doing that, why don’t they just quote Reagan.
“Within our tent, there will be many arguments and divisions over approach and method and even those we choose to implement our philosophy. Seldom, if ever, will we raise a cheer signifying unanimous approval of the decisions reached. But if our philosophy is to prevail, we must at least pledge unified support of the ultimate decision. Unity does not require unanimity of thought.”
Dumb idea.
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