Larry Elder, Perry Johnson contend they are not going down without a fight
They didn’t qualify for the debate stage. Now, they’re vowing to take legal action.
Holding his own press conference outside the debate venue earlier Wednesday, Elder said he would file a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission if wasn’t allowed on stage -- which he later followed through on.
ABC asked him if he still plans on watching or attending the debate if they don't respond, to which he said: "I'll be there, one way or the other, but I'm going to be up on that stage, trust me. If I were a betting person, and I'm not, I would bet the forum that Larry Elder is going to be on that debate stage.”
Johnson is planning to file two lawsuits against the GOP, he said in an interview with ABC News Radio National Correspondent Steven Portnoy.
Ahead of the debate, Johnson’s team was spotted across the street from the Fiserv Forum wearing "Perry vs Everybody" shirts.
On Tuesday, McDaniel told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott that the party was not trying to spite candidates who did not reach their requirements.
“They’ve got time for other debates and they can still continue to work towards California in September,” McDaniel said. “This has nothing to do with them. We just stuck to our rules.”
-ABC News' Kendall Ross, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Isabella Murray