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GOP presidential candidate Will Hurd says his presence on the GOP debate stage depends on whether the Republican National Committee allows it.
The RNC previously announced that candidates who wish to participate in the first GOP debate must pledge to support the party’s eventual nominee, among other criteria including clearing polling and donor thresholds.
“I can’t lie to get access to a microphone — I’m not supporting Donald Trump,” Hurd, a former House member from Texas, said on "Meet the Press NOW."
The former congressman previously said that he would not support Trump if he is the Republican presidential nominee in 2024.
“This is not about supporting the Republican nominee,” Hurd said. “This is about not supporting Donald Trump.”
Hurd called Trump a “proven loser,” saying he also does not agree with the former president’s “temper” and “how he conducts things.”
“He has not won an election since 2016. He lost the House in 2018. He lost the Senate and the White House in 2020. He prevented a red wave from materializing in 2022,” Hurd said. “He hasn’t even agreed to sign this pledge.”