So far, the two GOP presidential primary debates that have taken place have been absolute duds. 

That's primarily because former President Donald Trump, who commands the GOP field in virtually every poll available, has skipped them both, and he's going to do it again.

According to The Hill, not only will Trump snub the third GOP primary debate, but he'll also rub dirt in the wound by holding a rally in his home state of Florida, which will undoubtedly suck all the political air out of the room for that day and afterward.

The third GOP presidential primary debate is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Counterprogramming

Trump and his campaign team have masterfully dominated the airwaves during the previous debates and have undoubtedly contributed to the low ratings for both events.

During the first Republican primary debate, Trump counterprogrammed Fox News by joining former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for a bombshell interview that racked up tens of millions of views, several orders of magnitude than Fox News received from viewers at home.

The former president made a similarly bold move during the second GOP primary debate, holding a speech in Michigan with striking UAW autoworkers, many of whom have shifted toward Trump's side after generations of voting Democrat.

Many of the GOP presidential candidates have blasted Trump for skipping the debates, but many believe that's only because without Trump, only a fraction of people tune in, which especially hurts the ambitions of the lesser-known GOP candidates who aren't getting the name recognition points they would have normally scored.

Trump has remained steadfast in his strategy of skipping debates, as he claims he has nothing really to gain at this point, given that his track record has already been proven.

For his part, Trump has suggested that the Republican National Committee (RNC) cancel the remainder of the debates given his domination of the GOP primary polls, suggesting that it's time to use the money and resources for debates on his campaign instead, in order to ensure a defeat of President Joe Biden or whoever the Democrats nominate.

Poll domination

Trump's lead in the GOP primary polls is unprecedented.

The Hill noted:

An Emerson College poll released Friday showed Trump polling at 59 percent, with DeSantis and Haley tied for second place at 8 percent.

Many do not believe that any other GOP candidate stands even a remote chance at this point, as Trump's base of support is already too strong, and growing.

The third debate will be hosted by NBC News, and will likely be one of the lowest-rated debates in modern presidential primary history.