(PatriotWise.com) — If Republican candidates want to be on the Florida primary ballot next March, they will have to sign a pledge saying they will support the eventual nominee, Politico reported.
The pledge is similar to the RNC’s debate rules which require the candidates to sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee if they want to appear in next month’s primary debate.
According to Politico, the new pledge, which was approved by the state party in May, includes not only a promise to “endorse” the eventual nominee but also requires primary candidates to pledge not to launch a third-party run if they fail to secure the nomination.
Evan Power, the vice chair for the Florida GOP, told Politico that the state party is “trying to be consistent” with what the RNC is requiring for the debate. Power said the candidates were notified of the change and he did not believe it comes as a surprise.
But not all Republican candidates aren’t happy about the move.
Former Texas Congressman Will Hurd admitted last week that he would not sign the pledge in Florida.
Hurd told CNN that he did not have an issue with supporting a Republican nominee. Instead, he has an issue with supporting Donald Trump specifically. Hurd has also said he would not sign the RNC’s pledge to qualify for the debate.
When Donald Trump was asked by radio host Hugh Hewitt in February if he would support the eventual nominee, the former president said it would “depend on who the nominee was.”
In June, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said candidates should “respect the outcome of the process” when asked about supporting the nominee.
Neither the DeSantis campaign nor the Trump campaign responded to Politico’s request for comment on the Florida pledge.
In an interview with CNN last month, Chris Christie described the RNC’s pledge as a “useless idea” but conceded that he would sign it to get on the debate stage.
Republican candidates hoping to be on the primary ballot in Florida have until November to submit a signed and notarized pledge.
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