The upcoming network debates preceding the New Hampshire primary next week have been called off, as confirmed by both CNN and ABC.
Consequently, the voters of New Hampshire will not be privy to any fresh closing arguments from the campaigns before casting their votes.
The cancellation follows the announcement by Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. Ambassador, that she will not participate in any debates that do not include Donald Trump.
"Weve had five great debates in this campaign. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them, Haley stated. He has nowhere left to hide. The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it.
Haley's decision has drawn severe criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. "Nikki Haley is afraid to debate because she doesnt want to answer the tough questions such as how she got rich off Boeing after giving them millions in taxpayer handouts as governor of South Carolina," DeSantis declared in a statement released on Twitter/X on Tuesday morning. "The reality is that she is not running for the nomination, shes running to be Trumps VP."
"I wont snub New Hampshire voters like both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, and plan to honor my commitments," he further added. "I look forward to debating two empty podiums in the Granite State this week."
However, with only one candidate agreeing to participate, CNN and ABC were left with no option but to cancel the debates.
"CNN is no longer moving forward with a New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary Debate, as only one qualifying candidate accepted our invitation to take the stage," a spokesperson for CNN announced on Wednesday morning, as reported by The Messenger. "We will continue to pursue other opportunities as the campaign season progresses through 2024, including candidate Town Halls."
ABC had previously made a similar announcement. "Our intent was to host a debate coming out of the Iowa caucuses, but we always knew that would be contingent on the candidates and the outcome of the race," an ABC News statement read. "As a result, while our robust election coverage will continue, ABC News and WMUR-TV will not be moving forward with Thursdays Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire."
Haley's decision indicates a subtle shift in her campaign strategy. Previously, she had targeted DeSantis in an attempt to undermine his campaign in Iowa. The current strategy appears to be to target Trump to consolidate the non-Trump portion of the base.
However, Haley's campaign for the GOP nomination remains a longshot - Trump enjoys substantial support in the polls. Even if DeSantis were to withdraw, previous polling suggests that his supporters are more likely to back Trump than Haley, further bolstering the former president's already significant margins.
DeSantis, on the other hand, also needs to consolidate the non-Trump portion of the base. His campaign seems to believe that this can be achieved by taking down Haley - the same polling that shows his voters going to Trump if he withdraws shows Haley's voters going to him if she withdraws. However, the same issues regarding Trump's massive lead persist for both candidates.
The race appears to be Trump's to lose, and the chances of overtaking him seem slim.
While no debates are scheduled between now and primary day in New Hampshire, DeSantis participated in a CNN Townhall on Tuesday night, and Haley is slated for one on Thursday night.
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