The Republican primary debate that was scheduled for Thursday in New Hampshire was canceled after former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley pulled out. Haley said her reasoning behind the decision was based on former President Donald Trump’s absences from the previous debates. After Haley backed out, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was the only candidate willing to participate.
“We’ve had five great debates in this campaign,” Haley said in a statement on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them. He has nowhere left to hide. The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it.”
The now-canceled debate was to take place just days before the New Hampshire primary, and was to follow the caucuses in Iowa. On Monday, Haley placed third (19%) in the Iowa caucuses while DeSantis came in second (21%), and Trump finished in first (51%) by a wide margin.
DeSantis also came out to criticize Haley's decision, accusing her of being “afraid to debate because she doesn’t want to answer the tough questions.” And claimed her of “running to be Trump’s VP” adding that he looked “forward to debating two empty podiums in the Granite State this week.”
“The reality is that she is not running for the nomination, she’s running to be Trump’s VP,” said DeSantis on X (formerly Twitter). “I won’t snub New Hampshire voters like both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, and plan to honor my commitments. I look forward to debating two empty podiums in the Granite State this week.”
Following news that Thursday’s debate was canceled, one which was scheduled for Sunday was also been canceled. Trump, who has skipped all of the debates thus far, said last month that he will debate one of his Republican opponents if the results in the New Hampshire primary are “very close”. In place of the debate, an American news broadcaster will host a town hall with Haley on Thursday in New Hampshire. They previously hosted one with DeSantis earlier this week.