President Joe Biden's reelection campaign said Friday it is obvious former President Donald Trump, the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination, will not take part in the first GOP primary debate in Milwaukee because Wisconsin "illustrates his failed leadership."
Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social, "Why would I Debate?" and noted his huge lead in the polls over the rest of the GOP field. The first primary debate is set for Wednesday.
"Of course Donald Trump wants to avoid appearing in Wisconsin because he knows Wisconsin is a state that illustrates his failed leadership," Kevin Munoz, a Biden campaign spokesman, said in a statement, according to The Hill.
Munoz referenced Foxconn Technology Group's project in Wisconsin that had promised 13,000 new jobs and had been touted by Trump but never came to fruition. He also brought up Wisconsin's Supreme Court shifting to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years when Janet Protasiewicz, who campaigned on preserving abortion rights, defeated Dan Kelly, a former Trump ally, in April.
"Just this week, Foxconn announced another move out of the state," Munoz said. "Wisconsinites soundly rejected his ongoing efforts to ban abortion in the state's Supreme Court election earlier this year."
Trump won Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes in 2016 by 22,748 votes against Hillary Clinton but lost the state in 2020 to Biden by 20,685 votes.
"He cannot hide from the fact that Wisconsinites rejected him in 2020, and will reject the MAGA agenda again in 2024," Munoz said.
Trump spokesman Steve Cheung responded to the Biden campaign in an email to Newsmax.
"We look forward to debating the failed policies of a weak and failed Joe Biden — if he can get out of his basement long enough," Cheung said.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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