Trump Skips Republican Debate Amidst Overwhelming Poll Support

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced his decision to skip the upcoming Republican primary debates, pointing to his significant lead in opinion polls as evidence of his strong voter recognition and support ahead of the 2024 election. Trump had hinted at this move for some time, asserting that participating in the debates would offer his Republican competitors an opportunity to criticize him, which he deemed unnecessary given his substantial advantage in national polls. A CBS poll revealed that Trump had garnered the backing of 62% of Republican voters, while his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, had 16% support. With Trump's absence from the debate, DeSantis may become the target of attacks from other candidates attempting to establish themselves as alternatives to the former president.