RNC Flounces Out of Presidential Debates Commission With Unanimous Vote

The Republican National Committee has voted to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates, accusing the nonprofit organization of being “biased” toward Democratic candidates and refusing to enact “simple and commonsense” reforms. In a Thursday statement that announced the unanimous vote, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said, “We are going to find newer, better debate platforms to ensure that future nominees are not forced to go through the biased CPD in order to make the case for the American people.” Earlier on Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the RNC will require its presidential candidates to pledge they will only appear at party-sanctioned debates. The CPD, formed as a bipartisan body in 1987, has sponsored debates in every presidential election since 1988. An explicit break with the commission by the RNC has been expected since January, when McDaniel sent the commission a letter stating the Republican committee had “lost faith.” In response, a CPD co-chairman accused the RNC of wanting “to control things we aren’t prepared to let them control.”