Family Leader to continue with Thanksgiving forum

DES MOINES — The Family Leader, a conservative evangelical organization, will continue with its planned Thanksgiving Family Forum, defying warnings from the Republican National Committee that presidential candidates would be disqualified from future debates if they attend.

At the forum, Republican presidential candidates will “gather around the table to have a moderated, friendly and open discussion about the issues that are most important to evangelical Americans today,” according to the Family Leader.

Five Republican candidates — former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and Ohio biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy — were invited to the forum.

In a letter to the campaigns, the RNC told candidates their attendance at the Family Leader event would disqualify them from future debate because the proposed format constitutes an unsanctioned debate.

RNC rules prohibit candidates from attending any debate that is not organized by the party.

“It has come to the attention of the RNC Counsel’s Office that several Republican presidential candidates have been invited to participate in an open-press event in Iowa in November at which they would 'gather around the table to have a moderated, friendly, and open discussion about the issues.' In other words, a debate,” the RNC said in the letter.

Family Leader spokesperson Drew Zahn said in an email the event would continue as planned and disputed the RNC’s designation of the event as a debate.

“We do not agree that our forum fits within the RNC’s 'debate' restriction, and we believe our event can be a win-win addition to the election process without in any way competing with the RNC’s debates,” Zahn said.

Zahn said three of the five invited candidates — DeSantis, Scott and Ramaswamy — had confirmed plans to attend. He said he expects Haley to attend. He said the group did not expect Trump to accept the invitation.

Campaign spokespeople did not confirm that their candidates would be attending the forum.

Zahn said the Family Leader was first made aware of the RNC’s letter when a campaign informed them about it.

Family Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats ”has since reached out and had discussions with the RNC to seek an amiable, win-win solution,” Zahn said.

In 2011 and 2015, the Family Leader hosted similar events that featured multiple Republican candidates in roundtable discussions. The group also hosted the Family Leadership Summit in July, where presidential candidates spoke individually.

Vander Plaats said on Fox News on Tuesday night that he may consider endorsing a candidate after the forum. While he has not publicly endorsed a candidate so far, he has been critical of Trump.

“After we have that conversation with the candidates, our board, my team and myself, we’ll just get a chance to discern if this is the time for us to weigh in or not,” he said.

Comments: cmccullough@qctimes.com