Former President Donald Trump criticized his fellow GOP rivals during their third primary debate on Wednesday, holding his own competing event in nearby Hialeah, Florida.
Trump focused on polls that showed him ahead in five of six battleground states, showing his power over fellow contenders and President Joe Biden.
— Joel K. Baker (@jlknbr) November 9, 2023
"In the primary, we're leading the field with an average of 61% for Trump, and you have about, what, seven or eight candidates left? I think they're at a debate tonight. Nobody's talking about it," Trump said at the rally.
"Trump then mocked DeSantis and Haley with derogatory nicknames. 'So it's 61% for your favorite president, me, and 10% for Ron DeSanctimonious and 7% for birdbrain. You know birdbrain?' he said," according to the Washington Examiner.
Trump rallies supporters as his rivals duke it out for second place at the Miami debate https://t.co/e0Sj8OXTXX
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) November 9, 2023
“Just think of it — seven years ago tonight on Nov. 8, 2016, the American people delivered the greatest election victory,” Trump said, according to NBC News. “The only one that will be more important is the one coming up one year from now.”
"His remarks came as the rest of the presidential field gathered just miles away in Miami to hold the third GOP presidential debate, an event that — like the other debates — Trump skipped, citing his commanding lead over the field," the report continued.
Trump's Hialeah rally was a hot ticket on Miami GOP debate day https://t.co/NaS8y8PDmB
— Make L.A Great Again 🇺🇸 (@lalovestrump) November 9, 2023
"Supporters showed up as early as 6am for the evening rally, Ann Marti of the Hialeah Republican Club tells Axios. By 2pm, the line to get into Henry Milander Park stretched down several blocks," Axios reported.
"By comparison, there was little activity outside the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami ahead of the debate," it noted.
The event was the third time that Trump has held his own event at the same time as the GOP primary debates. During the first debate, his interview with Tucker Carlson was released on X.
The ongoing competing events seek to position Trump as the clear leader who sets the tone for the party, while avoiding tough questions that he would face during debates from moderators and opponents. So far, the strategy has worked well, leaving him with a wide margin of victory over GOP rivals in national polls.
