Despite a field of candidates who regularly bash the news media, Republican leaders sat down with television executives in New York — including those from CNN, a regular Republican boogeyman — and posed a question: Do you want to host a debate?
Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren during the Democratic presidential debate at the Paris Theater in Las Vegas, Feb. 19, 2020.
The debates would probably begin this summer, and Republicans are casting a wide net: Party officials are also in talks with executives from ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News, along with niche networks like Newsmax and NewsNation, according to several people who requested anonymity to describe discussions intended to be private. Political debates are highly prized in the TV news industry, and the networks are expected to present proposals next month.
But other leading Republicans found success in ignoring the mainstream press. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is viewed as a likely 2024 presidential contender, easily won reelection without submitting to interviews with nonpartisan outlets or local editorial pages. Former President Donald Trump, the only Republican who has declared his intention to run in 2024, continues to assail journalists.
The RNC is unlikely to turn to MSNBC to sponsor a primary debate, partly because the network’s left-leaning audience has little overlap with the primary electorate, according to a person with knowledge of the party’s plans. But the early talks have included NBC properties like CNBC, Telemundo and the NBC broadcast network.
Aired to mass audiences by broadcast and cable networks, debates are a tradition that often produce pivotal moments in campaigns. For long-shot candidates, they can be hugely beneficial or hugely destructive .
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