DES MOINES, Iowa—Republican presidential candidates take the debate stage Thursday night absent their front-runner, Donald Trump, who will instead seek to starve his rivals of attention at a critical juncture in the campaign by holding a competing event of his own.
Trump’s abrupt decision to boycott the final debate before Monday’s Iowa caucuses has added a new layer of uncertainty to a race that has defied political convention. He cited “unfair” treatment from debate host Fox News as his reason for skipping the contest and holding a rally instead.
“I don’t like being taken advantage of,” Trump said in an interview Wednesday on Fox, signaling he wasn’t boycotting the highly rated network completely.
Other GOP candidates saw Trump’s move as a welcome opportunity to emerge from the long shadow the billionaire has cast over the race, while also hoping it might damage his standing with Iowa voters.
“I think it'll hurt him that he’s not showing up in the Iowa debate four days before the Iowa caucuses,” former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told CNN.
