'Cowards run from fights': GOP challengers to Trump blast state parties for canceling primaries, caucuses

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Three Republican challengers to President Trump criticized several states for canceling their presidential primaries and caucuses in a joint Washington Post op-ed published late Thursday.

Former U.S. Reps. Joe Walsh of Illinois and Mark Sanford of South Carolina and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld criticized Republican parties in Arizona, Kansas, Nevada and South Carolina for scrapping their nominating contests.

They wrote the Republican Party was making a mistake before attacking Trump as a self-promoter, blasting his foreign policy and his attacks on the press.

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"In the Trump era, personal responsibility, fiscal sanity and rule of law have been overtaken by a preference for alienating our allies while embracing terrorists and dictators, attacking the free press and pitting everyday Americans against one another," the three wrote. "No surprise, then, that the latest disgrace, courtesy of Team Trump, is an effort to eliminate any threats to the president’s political power in 2020."

“Cowards run from fights," they added. "Warriors stand and fight for what they believe. The United States respects warriors. Only the weak fear competition.”

Trump has denied playing a part in the decision by GOP officials. He has called the three challengers a "laughingstock" who are seeking publicity.

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To make their case, the three Republicans noted the large Democratic presidential field, which currently boasts 20 candidates.

"Do Republicans really want to be the party with a nominating process that more resembles Russia or China than our American tradition?" the piece states. " ... Let us spend the next six months attempting to draw new voters to our party instead of demanding fealty to a preordained choice."

The South Carolina GOP said avoiding an "unnecessary primary" will save taxpayers $1.2 million.