DeSantis hits Florida GOP over Republican primary debate

Romy Ellenbogen, Tampa Bay Times on Jun 12, 2026

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to see a debate among the Republican candidates vying to replace him.

But the race’s front-runner, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, has already refused to do so. On Thursday, a campaign spokesperson said it wasn’t Donalds’ job to “legitimize campaigns that have failed to gain meaningful support.”

The Donalds’ campaign’s official shutdown of a debate came amid reports that the Republican Party of Florida used a strict threshold to disqualify the three other notable GOP candidates from debating at a Republican summit in late June.

DeSantis alluded to that when asked at a West Palm Beach news conference on Friday.

“I’ve heard secondhand what the criteria was. I wouldn’t have qualified when I ran in ‘18 for what they were trying to do,” DeSantis said.

On Friday, the Florida GOP released its criteria to qualify for the debate: Candidates must have at least 10% support in a reputable poll, have raised more than $10 million and have secured more than 10,000 donors.

Under those criteria, only Donalds would qualify.

“In a state as large and diverse as Florida, with its multiple media markets and complex political landscape, this remains a reasonable and accessible threshold,” the memo said.

DeSantis said it’s “counterproductive when you try to engineer an outcome,” pointing to indicators that it could be a difficult year for Republicans.

Allowing more voters to have their say, he said, the better. Strict criteria can alienate people and could weaken trust in the party’s brand, he said.

“What the party should be doing is doing what’s in the best interest of Republican voters,” he said. “You shouldn’t have another agenda.”

But DeSantis also said the party controlling debates is “ridiculous.” He said candidates could set up debates of their own through television, radio or podcasts.

A spokesperson for the Republican Party of Florida did not immediately return a request for comment.

In the primary, Donalds faces three other Republicans who have pushed him for a debate: investor James Fishback, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and former House Speaker Paul Renner.

Though the Florida GOP only qualified Donalds for a debate, it had noted that other candidates would be at their flagship event and would have time on stage to share their ideas.

But Friday afternoon, the party yanked Fishback’s invite, pointing to his planned participation in a “rival, unsanctioned” debate that violates the party’s rules.

The party also said Fishback has spread “antisemitic and racist attacks” on party members.

“The Republican Party of Florida cannot sanction participation in official Party activities while simultaneously allowing candidates to undermine those same activities through competing events,” state party chairperson Evan Power said in a statement.

In response, Fishback said in a text that “the official Republican Party of Florida, which refuses to host a debate between Byron Donalds and me, is now banning me from their convention because I agreed to a debate with CBS News.”

DeSantis has not endorsed a candidate to succeed him. The primary election is Aug. 18.

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