'It will be very difficult for him to say no': Reince Priebus predicts Trump will attend GOP primary debate
MADISON Wis. (CBS 58) -- Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus believes former President Donald Trump will attend the Republican presidential primary debate next month in Milwaukee after his former boss for weeks downplayed participating.
"I think he's going to debate," Priebus told CBS 58 in an interview. "If he already thinks he's going to do well in a debate, and he already knows over 20 million people would watch it, I think it would be very difficult for him to say no."
On Sunday, Trump suggested he might not come to Milwaukee in August to participate in the first GOP debate because of his lead in the polls.
“Ronald Reagan didn’t do it and a lot of other people didn’t do it. When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News.
Trump, the frontrunner in the GOP presidential race, added, "I haven't really made up my mind."
Milwaukee will host event Aug. 23 ahead of the Republican National Convention in 2024.
Priebus, chairman of the Milwaukee 2024 host committee, said Trump is unlikely to shy away from an opportunity to go head-to-head with his opponents because he's a "very good debater."
Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said Trump would be making “a mistake” if he decides to not partake in the upcoming event during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.
In 1980, Reagan famously did not participate in Republican debates despite paying for one with his campaign funds. There also were no debates scheduled during the 1984 presidential election when Reagan ran for a second term.
Brian Schimming, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, was indifferent whether Trump attends the debate or not.
"I won't be disappointed if he's not there; he's got his own calculations to make, to think through," Schimming said. "What I do know is we'll have several candidates on that stage, and regardless of whether President Trump makes the decision to be there or not, it's going to be a state, national and international media event, and I'm happy it's going on in Milwaukee."
GOP presidential candidates have been hitting the campaign trail hard to meet the Republican National Committee's requirements to participate in the primary debate.
In 2024, the city anticipates welcoming more than 50,000 people for the RNC as Republicans pick their nominee to face off against the Democrats.
Some prominent Republicans including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former House Speaker Paul Ryan, have voiced concerns that if Trump is the party's nominee Republicans will lose the 2024 election to President Joe Biden.
"I've heard a lot of those same concerns in 2016," Priebus said. "Whomever the nominee is, it's not going to be about that in the City of Milwaukee. It's going to be about how did we handle the opportunity in Wisconsin."