It all started with a simple email from ABC News: “what do you think about the Michigan GOP’s decision about the allocation of their primary delegates?” But it was the end of the email that caught my eye: “and have you reached out to the GOP to express your opinion?”
It was at that point that I realized that the election cycle is intended to be an open dialogue between the RNC, local GOP chapters, and candidates. How has this escaped me for the last six months?
Oh right, it’s the complete and utter ignorance from top RNC officials like Ronna McDaniel that have led me to believe that they don’t even understand that Steve Laffey is running for president.
So I came up with a pretty simple idea: as we continue to fight back against the extremely limiting and one-sided qualifying mandates for the August debate in Milwaukee. Let’s reach out to the RNC for help. So throughout the last week, I sent daily emails to Ronna and Drew McKissick asking them for a conversation about the debate and asking for their help in getting into National polls.
Spoiler alert: my emails were met with absolute silence. Not even a base-level acknowledgment. Below you will read the emails that I have sent. They’re nothing extreme. They ask for collaboration. Maybe having them published in an esteemed national publication will at least attract some attention from the RNC.
Dear Ronna,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the current state of Presidential debates. I’m hoping this email can open a dialogue between the Laffey campaign and the RNC. With the recent indictment of Donald Trump, I think we can both agree that it is now more important than ever to give all candidates an equal shot at the debate stage.
The requirement of 40,000 individual donors and a 1% polling threshold in national polls undermines the principles of fairness and inclusivity that our democratic process should uphold. For the last three months, Steve’s campaign has been lobbying to be included in those national polls. Is this something the RNC can help us with? If he’s not even included in a poll, how can he be excluded from the debate stage?
Your qualifiers severely limit the participation of candidates and fail to consider the diverse perspectives and ideas essential to a healthy democracy. By setting such high thresholds for a first debate, the RNC is effectively silencing candidates who may have valuable insights and contributions to the national discourse.
It is crucial to remember that grassroots support and voter enthusiasm cannot be measured solely by the number of individual donors. Many qualified candidates, especially those with limited resources, rely on alternative avenues of support and engagement that are not accurately reflected in donor counts.
Moreover, a 1% polling threshold in national polls disproportionately favors well-known and well-funded candidates, perpetuating a system that promotes name recognition over substantive policy discussions. This approach overlooks the fact that voter sentiment can change rapidly and that candidates should be given ample opportunity to present their ideas and appeal to the electorate.
I implore the RNC to reconsider these debate qualifiers and adopt a more inclusive and equitable approach. It is essential that we create a level playing field that encourages a robust exchange of ideas, elevates candidates based on their merits rather than their financial backing, and fosters an informed electorate.
I’d like to open a debate to look at the 2015 debate rules established by the RNC. These rules were far more relaxed. There was no fundraising mandate. Instead, there was heightened interest in campaigning in the four “early voting states.” Steve moved to New Hampshire back in February to fully focus on launching this grassroots campaign. Four months later, more than half of his family has joined him in living on the east coast.
Steve has dedicated his life to this campaign. We are starting to see real traction. ABC News has dedicated an embed producer to the campaign. Steve was included in 400 news articles over the last three weeks. He is a real, serious candidate. And now, with Mayor Suarez entering the race, Steve is not the only mayor running for President. You cannot disqualify his credentials.
I urge you, as the head of the RNC, to seriously consider updating the qualifying mandates for the first Republican debate in Milwaukee. With at least 14 candidates, would you consider lesser qualifications for a second stage debate.
I would love to work together to provide a platform that encourages thoughtful discussion, presents a diversity of ideas, and allows voters to make well-informed decisions based on substantive policy proposals.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Mike Fahey, Press Secretary for the Laffey 2024 Campaign
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