The party’s threshold for qualifying to participate in a sanctioned debate — 10% in a credible poll, more than $10 million raised, and 10,000 donors — would leave Donalds as the sole qualifier.

DeSantis and others argue these 10/10/10 criteria undermine voter choice by restricting who can take the stage.

In a heated showdown over Michigan-style rules but in Florida, DeSantis blasts the Florida GOP for not holding a gubernatorial debate at the Sunshine State Showdown in Hollywood, arguing the process isn’t transparent or voter-driven.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and others, including James Fishback, express support for debates and push back against the current approach, signaling intra-party friction.

The piece situates the dispute within a broader intra-party debate over debate policy and candidate engagement.

According to the report, three of the four declared candidates—Donalds, Collins, and Renner—are expected to attend the Showdown.

He also challenges the party chair over the decision to discourage debates between gubernatorial candidates, framing it as limiting voter choice.

Officially, the RPOF requires a 10/10/10 standard for sanctioned debates, combining polling, fundraising, and donor benchmarks.

Despite the threshold, the party says other candidates would still be allowed to share ideas on stage, even if only Donalds qualifies as an official participant.

DeSantis advocates for a more open, candidate-driven format, proposing alternatives like a 90-minute televised or radio event to foster direct engagement.

Donalds, the front-runner, has refused to participate in debates, arguing broader campaign support should drive legitimacy.

He accuses the party of serving outside interests and scuttling opportunity for dialogue through top-down, poll-based criteria.