Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has not decided if he will appear at the third Republican presidential debate, slated to occur in Miami, Florida, on Nov. 8.
“He’ll decide before the third debate,” said Zach Henry, a Ramaswamy campaign spokesperson, in a message to The Epoch Times on Oct. 20.
Mr. Henry told The Epoch Times he could not say when Mr. Ramaswamy will make that decision.
“Tonight’s GOP debate was as boring and inconsequential as the first debate, and nothing that was said will change the dynamics of the primary contest being dominated by President Trump,” Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita said in a statement released after the Sept. 27 Simi Valley event.
“The RNC [Republican National Committee] should immediately put an end to any further primary debates so we can train our fire on Crooked Joe Biden and quit wasting time and money that could be going to evicting Biden from the White House,” he added.
Mr. Ramaswamy’s indecisiveness could count as a victory for President Trump and his allies against Ronna Romney McDaniel’s RNC, which has charged ahead with debates despite Mr. Trump’s much-remarked absence from them.
Even if Mr. Ramaswamy decides to involve himself in the Miami event, it could have a much smaller number of participants than the first and second debates.
Mr. Ramaswamy made his mark during the first debate, which took place in August in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He sparred over foreign policy with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and others on stage, coming away with one of the night’s most memorable performances.
“President Trump was, I believe, the best president of the 21st century,” Mr. Ramaswamy told Mr. Christie to cheers from the audience.
“You make me laugh,” Mr. Christie responded, the audience’s boos quickly drowning him out.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis all participated in that event, which took place at the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.
All but Mr. Hutchinson qualified for and participated in the chaotic second debate, which was hosted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Mr. Ramaswamy’s polling peaked just before the second GOP debate, according to Real Clear Politics’ polling average, before swiftly declining. Meanwhile, Ms. Haley’s numbers have improved, leading her to surpass the businessman in recent weeks.
That trend could help explain the candidate’s vacillation ahead of the third debate.
The RNC has continually tightened its standards for participation in each successive debate.
To qualify for the upcoming event, candidates must meet tougher polling criteria than ever before, notching either 4 percent support in at least two national surveys or meeting the 4 percent threshold in one national poll and a poll from two early states in the Republican primary and caucus calendar—specifically, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, or Iowa.
The RNC has stringent criteria that surveys must meet if they are to be used in determining candidate eligibility. For example, such polls need to have sampled at least 800 registered likely Republican voters.
In addition, candidates need at least 70,000 unique donors, with 200 or more from 20 or more states or territories.
Would-be debaters will have to hit the marks on polling, fundraising, and the RNC’s other requirements late on Nov. 6, forty-eight hours before the second debate.
