Former President Donald Trump has skipped the first two debates of the GOP’s presidential primary. Each time, he’s hosted a counterprogrammed event. On Wednesday, Trump will continue that streak.
As five presidential candidates meet for an NBC News debate in Miami, Trump will be hosting a rally in nearby Hialeah, Florida — but with a surprise twist.
Trump just announced in a statement that he was going to be joined at the rally by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other guests.
“We had great success in the White House and it’s an honor to have Sarah’s endorsement,” Trump said. “I look forward to having her at the big rally in Hialeah this Wednesday.”
The former president also plans to appear with some local officials — a clear shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his top rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Miami-Dade County commissioner who will speak at Wednesday’s rally, said Trump “is taking his message directly to the voters while the other candidates are debating in a room full of campaign staff and media for a possible VP nomination or a job in a Trump administration.”
Unlike a debate crowd with loyalties split among candidates, Trump is expected to draw a boisterous audience that uniformly supports him.
“It’s not a polite crowd. It’s vociferous and festive,” said Dario Moreno, a political science professor at Florida International University. “He’s going to outshine those guys at the debate.”
Supporters started lining up hours before the rally’s first speech at 6 p.m. “All we want is to get ahead in life. It seems a lot of politicians, all they do is set obstacles in our way,” Marcel Perez, a Hialeah resident, told an Associated Press reporter ahead of the rally. “Trump is the right person for the job because he opens the door for us.”
Trump was cheered on by waiting supporters and later serenaded with “Happy Birthday” one day before his 77th birthday, and was prayed over by a rabbi.
Trump has urged the Republican National Committee to cancel the remaining debates, and before a single vote has been cast he has encouraged all other candidates to drop out and name him as the candidate to take on President Joe Biden.
“It is time for the Republican establishment to stop wasting time and money trying to push weak RINOs and Never Trumpers that nobody wants on the ballot,” Trump said at this month’s Florida Freedom Summit.
During the first debate, Trump appeared in a long-form interview posted to Tucker Carlson’s webpage. Rather than attending last month’s debate, Trump appeared at one of Michigan’s auto parts companies during the Union of Automotive Workers strike.
Like Trump, the Florida Democrats are also looking to upstage the debate. The blue team, working to remain competitive in local elections, held a news conference before the GOP debate and Trump’s rally.
DeSantis last year became the first Republican in 20 years to win Miami-Dade County, which includes Hialeah, on his way to a blowout reelection victory. DeSantis is set to appear at the debate.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article