But Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes said in a statement that Kelly is locked in as a moderator for the Thursday night clash.
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“If Donald is afraid of Megyn Kelly, I would like to invite him on your show to participate in a one-on-one debate between me and Donald, mano y mano”, Cruz said during an interview on “The Mark Levin Show”, adding that Trump could choose the moderator.
At a Tuesday-evening press conference, the Republican presidential front-runner stressed that he “probably” would be skipping the Fox-hosted event.
His objections stem from last year’s first GOP presidential debate, when anchor and moderator Megyn Kelly pressed him about his derogatory comments about women.
He says Kelly is a third-rate reporter who is bad at her job and shouldn’t be allowed to participate.
Fox intensified the stand-off by mocking Mr Trump, who had asked his five million Twitter followers to weigh in on whether or not he should attend the debate. “Donald Trump is just trying to build up the audience for Thursday’s debate, for which we thank him”.
Trump had also posted a poll on his Twitter account asking his followers to decide if he should be a part of the debate.
But the Democratic National Committee raised doubts about whether it would proceed, saying in a statement it had no plans to sanction the debate. Also, 70 percent of those supporting Trump say they have made up their mind for the controversial billionaire.
As it stands right now, Trump’s presence will not be felt at the upcoming debate which can only help the other candidates in the field.
The poll’s distant third place goes to Florida Sen.
He had suggested over the weekend that Kelly not moderate the debate because she was “biased”.
But the Fox statement that invoked the Ayatollah and Putin seemed to push Trump to follow through on his threat to not participate in the debate. Although Trump led Cruz 31 percent to 29 percent in the ISU/WHO-HD Iowa Caucus Poll released Tuesday, it is unclear if he can turn the boisterous crowds at his rallies into caucus-night supporters.
“Donald has changed how he has approached me in that he is now insulting me every day”, Cruz told reporters ahead of a campaign stop in Manchester, Iowa according ABC News on Monday. She knows that, I know that, everybody knows that.
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“After looking at these candidates, talking with them, and I have many friends in this race, but I believe the one best positioned, best prepared to lead this nation forward…I believe it’s Ted Cruz”, Perkins said. Cruz said, in a challenge created to eat into Trump’s news cycle after announcing the news later Tuesday. And skipping this one deprives his top rival, Texas Sen.
