U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican candidate for Florida governor, has rejected calls from his primary rivals to participate in debates, asserting that his significant lead in the polls makes such engagements unnecessary. Donalds, who is retiring from the House to run for governor, consistently polls around 50%, with his competitors lagging in the single digits.
"I've been consistent," Donalds told Fox News Digital regarding the criticism of his debate refusal. "These guys are in single digits. They stay in single digits." He added that his opponents should "spend their time going to see the people of Florida because they're not getting much support at all."
Donalds entered the gubernatorial race with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, which has reportedly provided a substantial boost among MAGA voters. The current governor, Ron DeSantis, is term-limited and has not endorsed a specific candidate.
Among Donalds' opponents are Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner, and investor James Fishback. These three candidates participated in a debate earlier this month, during which Donalds was frequently mentioned.
Fishback, known for unconventional campaign tactics such as using Tinder to reach young voters and proposing a "sin tax," recently attempted to confront Donalds outside one of his campaign events. Fishback called for Donalds to participate in a GOP gubernatorial debate.
"Another stunt," Donalds said of Fishback's appearance. "Another stunt with people trying to get attention as opposed to, you know, taking their mission, their vision, their ideas to the people of Florida to earn support. I'm not going to play with stunts. I’m not going to engage in that stuff."
Fishback, however, defended his approach, stating he has met voters in all 67 Florida counties and conducted more events than Donalds in the past month. He argued that voters deserve to see candidates debate, comparing Donalds' refusal to a tactic employed by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Fishback also dismissed his single-digit polling numbers, asserting that "The only poll that matters is August 18, 2026. Election night."
Donalds' campaign has also significantly outraised the rest of the field, bringing in over $90 million. Florida's primary election is scheduled for August 18, with Donalds maintaining a projected lead over the remaining candidates. "We're in a really good position, but we take nothing for granted, so just keep working," Donalds stated.