Trump campaign declares debate victory, calls GOP foes ‘cheap knockoffs’

The Trump campaign Wednesday declared former President Trump the winner of the third GOP primary debate, which he did not attend, dismissing his rivals who were on stage as “cheap knockoffs.”

“Unless you’re a fan of cheap knockoffs or out-of-tune tribute bands, tonight’s GOP debate was a complete waste of time and money,” Chris LaCivita, a senior Trump campaign adviser said of the GOP debate in Miami.

“Voters want a return to the Country we had just three short years ago, before Biden and the radical left began to destroy it, and voters believe President Trump is the only one who can make this a reality,” LaCivita said. “Simply put, voters want to Make America Great Again.”

LaCivita noted Trump’s lead in national primary polls of more than 50 percentage points in most cases, and suggested the next two closest candidates — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — should consider ending their campaigns or risk their political futures.

“They are going nowhere, and at this point every dollar sent to their campaigns or their SuperPACs may as well be going directly to Joe Biden. Donald J. Trump is going to be the next President of the United States,” LaCivita said. “It’s up to DeSantis and Haley to determine if they want a political future … or not.”

Trump held a rally in Hialeah, Fla., on Wednesday night just a short drive away from the debate taking place in Miami. DeSantis and Haley were joined onstage by Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

While candidates were asked at the start of the debate why they would be a better nominee than Trump, they still largely refrained from taking direct shots at the former president.

Trump has yet to attend a primary debate in the campaign, but his lead in the polls has only solidified in that time.

Recent polling has also shown Trump faring well in a potential 2024 match-up with President Biden.

A New York Times/Siena College poll found Trump, the front-runner for the GOP nomination, leading Biden in five out of six critical battleground states that will likely determine the outcome of the 2024 race. The poll also found Biden losing support among young voters and Black voters compared with 2020.

A CBS News poll released Sunday also found Trump leading Biden in a hypothetical match-up, 51 percent to 48 percent.

And a CNN poll released Tuesday found Trump ahead of Biden 49-45 in a hypothetical rematch.