An incumbent president never participated in a primary debate

[President Johnson]

Never did an incumbent president participate in a primary debate. Do you think there's a chance this will ever or in the median future happen? To be fair, most presidents seeking reelection didn't face serious competition. In the age of TV debates, only Ford and Bush 41. I think it would definitely require a challenger that is strong enough to force a sitting president to a debate. Perhaps it's more likely such as president would be an unelected one who just came to office via succession like Ford.

Thoughts?

[Arizona Iced Tea]

Participating in a primary debate gives legitimacy to the opposition and offers virtually no benefit. The last thing you want as an incumbent is your primary opponents to be considered candidates with a shot, and it also allows the potential for a gaffe.

[Vosem]

The Republicans have pulled out of the organization that organizes general-election debates, and it feels like, as a society, we've probably passed peak presidential debate, which was reached sometime in the 2010s.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

Never did an incumbent president participate in a primary debate. Do you think there's a chance this will ever or in the median future happen? To be fair, most presidents seeking reelection didn't face serious competition. In the age of TV debates, only Ford and Bush 41.

Uh...the primary challenge to Carter was more serious than the one to Bush 41. In fact, I would say Bush 41 is the least likely of the three to have engaged in a primary debate as Buchanan didn't have any shot at the nomination or even any of winning a single primary.

I think an incumbent president facing a primary challenge may well have to debate...there's just more pressure than there used to be, but then again, an incumbent president would actually have to face a serious primary challenge...something that hasn't happened in awhile.

[President Johnson]

Never did an incumbent president participate in a primary debate. Do you think there's a chance this will ever or in the median future happen? To be fair, most presidents seeking reelection didn't face serious competition. In the age of TV debates, only Ford and Bush 41.

Uh...the primary challenge to Carter was more serious than the one to Bush 41. In fact, I would say Bush 41 is the least likely of the three to have engaged in a primary debate as Buchanan didn't have any shot at the nomination or even any of winning a single primary.

I think an incumbent president facing a primary challenge may well have to debate...there's just more pressure than there used to be, but then again, an incumbent president would actually have to face a serious primary challenge...something that hasn't happened in awhile.

I already forgot about Carter being seriously challenged. I certainly agree with the post.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Keep in mind until 1984 incumbent presidents who led in the polls didn’t debate their general election opponents either . Ford and Carter did cause they were behind or in a tight race but incumbents debating was never the norm till 1984.

Since then the only primary challenge that wasn’t a complete joke was Buchanan 1992 and even he didn’t have a chance of really winning a single primary contest .