Former House Speaker Paul Renner says the Republican Party of Florida is cheating voters out of its opportunity to weigh the merits of candidate for Governor by refusing to stage a debate at the impending Sunshine Showdown event.
He argues that the party is “tipping the scales” in favor of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Donald Trump-endorsed front-runner in the race, after its assertion that only Donalds would have met criteria to qualify for a debate. The criteria: 10% support in the RPOF’s own poll; more than $10 million raised; and more than 10,000 donors
“Are we not the conservative party that believes in free competition so that voters can decide who has the experience, who’s delivered the results, who’s got the vision, who’s led in the fight to build the free state of Florida?”
Renner’s words here are deliberate, echoing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ comments that Donalds wasn’t a part of his administration’s battles against “the left.”
The candidate went further in mirroring the Governor, blasting the state party for discouraging the kinds of independent debates that were routine in statewide Primary races until this cycle.
“What happened to the First Amendment? Now they’re determining what is sanctioned and unsanctioned speech, whether you can come to a candidate forum, whether you can participate in a media-run debate. There have been at least two that have been proposed. What have we become? Are we becoming the Democrat Party?”
That last rhetorical question seems to be a reference to how Democrats shielded President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris from competition in the 2024 cycle as the party wrestled with how to handle a leader who lacked the vitality to run for re-election.
During a press conference Friday, DeSantis criticized the party for discouraging debates.
“You know, the party has a very limited role. (It) really should be a candidate-driven process and not for people to be making decisions who voters have never voted into those positions to begin with. So line up something with TV, line up something, radio, all these different forms. there’s a whole host of ways that you can do,” he said.
In lieu of a formal debate at the event later this month, Renner, Donalds, and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins (who wants a one-on-one debate with Donalds) will be allowed to speak to voters, but will not share a stage.
–A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics
Laurel says
There is no more debate. There is no more conservative party. There is only one direction, and that is herded by a small group of oligarchs. There is no more “free Florida.” The more you hear the words “free Florida,” the less free it is. It is “battles against the left,” intentionally fighting our own people. Intentional division. Donalds is “a conservative warrior.” A warrior against the people of Florida. A one way road. Donald’s lips move, Heritage Foundation’s words come out. No plan of his own.
The current Republican Party wants no debates. The candidate with the most out of state PAC money wins, no debate needed.
Deborah Coffey says
Go ahead, Republicans, fight it out. But, don’t waste too much of your energy. You’re all going to lose because of the corrupt, lawless, Donald Trump and the Fascist, Ron DeSantis. The American people and Floridians are more than ready for a change that will meet THEIR NEEDS…NOT YOURS.
Jim says
How interesting it is to watch someone like Renner who WAS a bigshot in the Republican party just a year or so back now cry foul because the Republican party is just doing exactly what it has been doing for years but, NOW, it’s being done to him. Amazing. There’s the old saying about “first they came for group “X”, then they came for group “Y” and finally they came for me”. Well, Mr. Renner, you are the “me” for the Florida Republican party! Sorry you don’t think it’s fair when you are the one on the short end.
Neither Renner nor Donalds will make a good governor. It’s been quite a while since we have had a good governor and I see no one in sight. At least as we plod through the misery, we can all know that Renner isn’t happy either….