US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have expressed willingness to hold a debate, an unprecedented move since Republican and Democratic candidates traditionally do not debate each other until the parties have selected their nominees.
The two native New Yorkers – a billionaire businessman and a US senator – expressed interest on Thursday to hold a one-on-one encounter in California.
The debate could have the effect of sidelining and belittling Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and create a television spectacle that could attract huge ratings.
“I’d love to debate Bernie,” Trump told reporters in North Dakota, after he secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. “I think it would get very high ratings. It would be in a big arena.”
Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN there had been “a few discussions” between the campaigns about the details. But Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an…