Fewer debates designed to stymie conservatives, Jindal says

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Monday said Republicans advocating for fewer debates between presidential contenders in the GOP primaries are trying to make it more difficult for voters to nominate a conservative candidate.

“There’s this idealistic belief, this idea that, if we could just have fewer debates, we’d have a kinder, gentler nominating process, and it’d be easier to get the right nominee,” Jindal said at a briefing hosted by The Christian Science Monitor in Washington. “Well, democracy is messy, and … political leaders and the establishment leaders aren’t going to be the ones picking the nominee.”

{mosads}“Some of those who are wringing their hands about the nominating process, what they’re really thinking, and they don’t say this out loud is, well, we just need less conservative candidates,” he added. “I think that’s nonsense. I think the reality is that America doesn’t need two liberal parties. There’s nothing wrong with having a principled conservative candidate.”

The remarks are a veiled swipe at Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and others in the party who have advocated for fewer debates.

The RNC has announced nine presidential debates, beginning in August. There were 20 GOP primary debates in the 2012 cycle, a number many in the party think was too high.

“I think a lot of the folks who are complaining about the process are really complaining that they don’t want someone who is too conservative and really wants to repeal ObamaCare,” Jindal said Monday. “I’m glad that it’s not the … political class, I’m glad it’s the voters who will decide.”

Priebus has also said that potential presidential contenders will have to poll above certain levels to earn a spot in the GOP debates. The thresholds will be determined in coordination between the RNC and the media outlet conducting the debate. No minimum requirement has been set yet.

Candidate thresholds for debates are nothing new, but could be a critical component of the Republican primaries in 2016, as the GOP is expected to field a large and diverse group of candidates. There are more than a dozen potential candidates seriously considering running for president.

“I know they may not like the fact that we have a deep bench, and we’ve got a number of qualified candidates,” Jindal continued. “Yes it’s messy, and yes it’s tough, but I think it’s better to have voters make the choice, better to have an open discussion. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.”

Jindal has said he’ll announce whether he intends to run for president in the next couple of months. He’s currently buried in the polls, so he could potentially be one of those candidates who doesn’t meet the threshold requirements to get into the debates.

Republicans are generally happy with what they view as a strong bench of contenders, but the logistical problems of such an expansive field are becoming a worry.

The first ballots for the Iowa caucuses won’t be cast until February 2016.

The party has also shortened the primary period, so it has more time to coalesce around the GOP candidate ahead of the general election.