Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘non-viable’ GOP debate candidates with Avengers jab

‘None of them will be president,’ Kimmel said

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel gave his review of five GOP presidential candidates he described as “non-viable” on Tuesday night, ahead of the third Republican primary debate.

The third GOP presidential debate is due to take place in Miami on Wednesday. So far, front-runner Donald Trump, who is currently embroiled in a civil fraud trial in New York, has not attended any of the primary debates.

The former president has indicated he sees no point in participating in the debates given his substantial lead over the other candidates in the polls.

He is not expected to attend the debate in Miami on Wednesday.

In his Tuesday night show, Mr Kimmel reviewed Mr Trump’s contenders, describing them as “non-viable”.

“Tomorrow night, the third, and sadly not final, Republican debate is happening in Miami,” he said. “Five non-viable candidates will assemble on stage for no reason at all.”

“None of them will be president,” he added.

“Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Vivkek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott and Ron DeSantis. What a lineup! It’s like if all the Avengers were Hawkeye.”

He continued: “Most of the pressure is on Florida governor Ron DeSantis who will be in front of a whole crowd and is reportedly determined to finally break away from the pack.

Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube)

“In fact, sources inside his camp say he’s planning to wear his extra tall Gene Simmons Kiss boots, or as he calls them, loafers, in the debate tomorrow,” Mr Kimmel said, referencing a pair of high-heeled boots the Florida governor has been spotted wearing several times while on the campaign trail.

Mr DeSantis’ choice of footwear has been the subject of much attention in recent months, with Mr Trump dubbing Mr DeSantis, who is allegedly five-foot-eleven, “Tiny D” amid rumours he was boosting his height in order to boost his chances of winning the 2024 presidential election, The Washington Post reported in March.

Ron DeSantis is currently polling 39 points behind the former president, who has urged the RNC to cancel the third GOP primary debate, saying the party should focus on defeating Democrats in 2024 instead.

Mr Trump’s campaign announced on Thursday it will counter-program the debate, which will be hosted by NBC News, with a rally in Hialeah, Florida, as well as a “Team Trump Spin Room.”

Last week, Mr DeSantis mockingly invited Mr Trump to join the Republican debate stage even if he needed a teleprompter.

“I’m willing to allow him to bring his teleprompter to the debate if that’s what he wants to do, and we will just do it like that. But he should be on that stage in Miami and subsequent debates,” Mr DeSantis said.

The third GOP debate will feature fewer candidates than the previous two, after former vice-president Mike Pence suspended his campaign earlier this month.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who attended the second GOP debate, did not qualify for Wednesday night’s debate.

The third Republican debate will prominently feature foreign policy and Israel’s offensive in response to Hamas’ attack, the Associated Press reported.