Overview

• A majority of likely Iowa Republican caucus attendees - 57% - are not troubled by former President Donald Trump's decision to opt out of GOP presidential debates. Only 42% think Trump should participate in at least one debate before the upcoming presidential caucuses, scheduled for Jan. 15, 2024.
• Trump intends to skip the third GOP debate, following his absence from the first two, citing his significant lead in national polls as his reason for bypassing these primary debates.
• Several of Trump's rival GOP candidates have criticized his decision to skip the debates. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Ex-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in particular vocalize their dissatisfaction, charging Trump with being 'missing in action' and 'afraid' of defending his record respectively.
• Among Republicans supporting a non-Trump candidate, 60% believe that Trump should participate in the debates, while 40% are unphased by his absence.
• Despite his debate absences, Trump maintains a grip on the 2024 GOP race in Iowa with a 27 point lead ahead of his closest competitors, Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, reflecting his 43% support among likely Republican caucusgoers.