Donald Trumps Republican allies on Capitol Hill want him to play nice in his first 2024 debate with President Joe Biden on Thursday.

Theyre urging the former president who frequently veers off script and goes on wild tangents during campaign appearances to stick to policy and contrast his plans for another term in the White House with Bidens tenure as president and his handling of the economy.

And they want him to steer clear of talk about supposedly stolen elections, something he often brings up to supporters on the campaign trail.

He should focus on looking forward, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said. He should look on what our policy needs are, he should have a look at what its going to do to bring down the price of groceries, what hes going to do to bring down the price of gasoline, price of energy. He should leave the past behind.

I would talk more about the future and how Ill clean up Joe Bidens mess, added Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.).

Trump has been focused on other things before the debate kickoff, however. Over the weekend, he suggested, without evidence, that Biden is using medical supplements to get jacked up for their face-off. And on Monday, the former president again challenged Biden to take a drug test, adding that he, too, would immediately agree to take one if Biden accepts.

Trump, 78, and his allies have for months attacked the 81-year-old Biden as too old and unfit for the presidency. Polls have shown that Bidens age and Trumps felony conviction are issues for voters in the coming election, and both certainly might come up during Thursdays debate.

Asked if Trump should bring up Bidens age on the CNN debate stage, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a top Trump ally, said, You dont have to. I think everybodys already decided Biden cant do the job.

All [Trump] has to do is talk about what he did. If he talks about what he did, he should have a great debate, Scott said.