In fallout from the 2020 presidential election, Republicans are responding to the upcoming election in 2024 by calling the Commission on Presidential Debates "biased."
On Thursday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) voted unanimously to withdraw from the Commission after longstanding criticism.
The Commission has hosted every presidential debate since 1988, but Republicans argue that the Commission is partisan.
In a statement, Ronna McDaniel (R), the Republican National Committee Chairwoman, commented that "debates are an important part of the democratic process, and the RNC is committed to free and fair debates." However, McDaniel further commented that "the Commission on Presidential Debates is biased and has refused to enact simple and commonsense reforms to help ensure fair debates including hosting debates before voting begins and selecting moderators who have never worked for candidates on the debate stage."
After the vote, McDaniel announced that the RNC was choosing to "withdraw from the biased CPD, and 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 their case to the American people."
While the party specified that it was not entirely removing itself from the debates, McDaniel did note that Republicans are "exploring other avenues for candidates to have a free and fair forum for all Americans."
Republicans have voiced their disapproval of the mainstream media, questioning a possible bias against conservative lawmakers. This has extended to all types of media and organizations, which includes the Commission on Presidential Debates.
President Donald Trump (R), who is likely to be launching another presidential run, has been vocal about an alleged bias against conservative candidates, which caused him to affirm a prominent role in the upcoming midterm election.
With Republicans projected to assert a "red wave," political pundits have questioned whether this could spell trouble for the Biden administration in 2024.
