With the August 18 Primary fast approaching, Governor Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek another term, is urging voters to take full advantage of the opportunity to evaluate the candidates vying to succeed him while there is still time for those comparisons to make a difference.
Once again, the Governor is criticizing the Republican Party of Florida for its reluctance to authorize debates among the four leading contenders for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
The race itself is not especially close. Byron Donalds holds a significant advantage over Jay Collins, James Fishback, and Paul Renner, both in fundraising totals and in recent polling.
Still, DeSantis points to his own experience debating Adam Putnam eight years ago, crediting that moment with helping him overcome the party favorite. He appears to believe a similar opportunity could help one of the underdog candidates this year, even as absentee ballots have already gone out to overseas voters and will soon reach Floridians beginning July 9.
“The state GOP has no authority to refuse debates. Having a debate on Fox News (or other widely distributed channels) would be a win for the voters,” DeSantis said, amplifying a call from Renner for a debate on Fox.
DeSantis made these remarks while attending a fundraising retreat in California with Senate Republicans. His comments arrive at a moment of turbulence, not only in the race to replace him but also within his own administration, which has been shaped in part by the Lieutenant Governor he selected last year.
According to a report first published by POLITICO Florida and later discussed widely on social media, senior staffers have accused Collins of making threats of violence in the workplace during moments of frustration.
Layla Collins, who serves on the state Board of Education, has denied allegations that she created anonymous social media accounts to criticize the Governor for withholding an endorsement of the Lieutenant Governor as his successor.
While DeSantis has so far declined to endorse Collins, the Lieutenant Governor continues to insist that the Governor’s support is forthcoming.
The Governor has yet to address the recent controversy directly. However, his renewed call for debates signals a continued commitment to his earlier stance on the importance of public forums.
He has argued that candidates need to engage with each other on stage, noting that Florida is a challenging state in which to build name recognition.
Earlier this month, Collins, Fishback, and Renner participated in a three-way debate on Patrick Bet David’s podcast. One notable exchange came when Fishback asked the group if they had voted for DeSantis in 2018. Collins, who was not yet a Florida resident, was unable to answer affirmatively.
Donalds has remained firm in his refusal to participate in debates, saying he does not wish to elevate his opponents.
“The truth is they’re polling in single digits. The truth is, we’re polling it around 52 to 55% in the polls right now today. The truth is, they don’t have campaigns that can actually help them raise their ability to get recognized by the voters of Florida,” he said last month.
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