Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders on Thursday explored staging an unconventional U.S. presidential debate that would sideline Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and create a television spectacle that could attract huge ratings.
The two men – a billionaire and a democratic socialist – expressed interest in a one-on-one encounter in California even though Republican and Democratic presidential candidates traditionally do not debate each other until the parties have selected their nominees.
“I’d love to debate Bernie,” Trump told reporters in North Dakota, after he secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. “I think it would get very high ratings. It would be in a big arena.”
Basking in his newly sealed nomination at a later campaign rally in Billings, Montana, Trump said he expected to put 15 states in play in the general election, compared with three or four for a traditional Republican. He named California, Washington and Michigan among others.
Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email there were no formal plans yet for a debate. But Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN there had been “a few discussions” between the campaigns about the details.
“We hope that he will not chicken out,” Weaver said. “We hope Donald Trump has the courage to get on stage now that he said he would.”
Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is running far behind Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election.
But a nationally televised debate with the presumptive Republican nominee would be a big boost to his chances in the California primary on June 7, when Clinton is likely to clinch the nomination.
Trump said a debate with Sanders could raise up to $15 million for charity.
“I’d love to debate Bernie, but they’ll have to pay a lot of money for it,” he said.
The idea was hatched during an appearance by Trump on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” late on Wednesday. Kimmel said he asked Trump about the debate at the suggestion of Sanders, who is scheduled to appear on the show on Thursday night.
“Game on,” Sanders tweeted. “I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary.”
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