August 23rd is the date when the Fox News Channel will host the first Republican primary debate in Milwaukee, and some potential participants are struggling to meet fundraising and polling requirements to make it on stage. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, for example, is polling at less than 1%.
"A lot of these candidates are not serious about actually winning the presidency," Robert Knight submits. "They couldn't be. They have microscopic poll numbers; they've alienated the conservative bloc of Republican voters time and again. Asa Hutchinson vetoed a bill very dear to the hearts of social conservatives, and I don't think he'll recover from that."
He says former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is polling at 2.5%, is another Republican who is going nowhere in this race.
"There's no way that the Republican voters are going to select a Northeastern liberal Republican to head the ticket," the columnist asserts.
Meanwhile, as AFN has reported, Trump is considering boycotting the debate and holding a competing event instead.
"From his point of view, this would diminish all those other candidates if he's not there, but there is some risk in ducking the debate," Knight warns.
He points out that some people want to see all the candidates at the debate and will not agree that the former president's strong lead in the polls is a reason to bow out of it.
