Trump-moderated debate: ‘Full steam ahead’

{mosads}Several candidates cited Trump, who has threatened to run as an Independent candidate himself if he does not like the Republican nominee, as a reason they opted out of the debate.

Steve Coz, vice president and editorial director of conservative news outlet Newsmax, which is hosting the debate, told The New York Times last week that the debate was proceeding “full steam ahead.”

Trump on Fox News sidestepped making any direct confirmation that plans for the debate would not change, saying that Newsmax, “a very powerful group,” had asked him to moderate and still stood by the idea.

Trump and Coz both suggested independently that Gingrich and Santorum have climbed in the polls as a result of accepting the invitation to the debate. Trump said on Fox News that Romney’s support has faltered because “a lot of people think it’s because he showed a lack of decisiveness or a lack of courage in going into this debate.”

While Gingrich has taken the lead in nationwide polls and in key early states, Romney’s support has remained steady in the low-20 percentage. Santorum took 2 percent in the most recent nationwide Gallup poll, and 4 percent among likely Iowa GOP caucus-goers in last week’s New York Times-CBS News poll.