TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With commanding poll leads, a massive campaign war chest and a high-profile endorsement from President Donald Trump, Byron Donalds has emerged as the front-runner in Florida’s Republican race for governor, and the main target of his rivals’ attacks.
Donalds’ dominance has drawn increasingly sharp criticism as the GOP primary field looks for ways to slow his momentum.
One of the earliest and most controversial attacks came from businessman James Fishback, who launched his campaign with inflammatory rhetoric aimed squarely at Donalds.
“Byron Donalds is a slave,” Fishback said last November in Tallahassee. “I’m sorry. He’s a slave. He is a slave to his donors.”
While Fishback drew attention early on, more established Republicans have recently escalated their own lines of attack as the primary calendar tightens.
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has centered his campaign on ethics and transparency, accusing Donalds of using public office for personal financial gain.
“We cannot have people that get into public office and enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers,” said the Republican this week.
Renner has gone further, questioning how Donalds’ personal finances changed after arriving in Washington and proposing new restrictions on lawmakers’ stock trading.
“My opponent, Congressman Donalds, went into office not very wealthy, and now he’s wealthy in a very short amount of time,” said Renner. “We believe a tenfold increase in his net worth. And so how can you explain that, other than something is amiss, something is wrong.”
Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins has also sought to undercut Donalds’ polling advantage, arguing that early leads in Florida don’t necessarily translate into primary victories.
Asked about Donalds’ double-digit polling edge, Collins pushed back.
“That’s a great question,” said Collins. “So let’s frame that back, historically speaking. The first person in, in Florida, doesn’t really win, right?”
Collins points to most polls showing Donalds still below the 50 percent mark, with a large share of voters undecided.
“What does that tell you when the vast preponderance of people are undecided?” said the LG. “Doesn’t matter if you have the endorsement. It doesn’t matter if you have the money. It’s not working.”
Donalds, meanwhile, has brushed off the criticism. When asked about the attacks during a recent stop in Tallahassee, he offered a terse response.
“My rivals would all love to be in my position, and they’re not,” said Donalds. “Next question.”
His campaign notes that most public polling still shows Donalds leading his Republican rivals by 30 to 40 points. The campaign also touts roughly $50 million on hand, allowing Donalds to rely heavily on earned media rather than costly primary advertising.
In a statement, campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez said Donalds remains focused beyond the Republican field.
“While his opposition is focused on him, Byron — the Trump-endorsed candidate in the race — is focused on fighting for Florida and defeating the Democrats.”
As for debates, Donalds has signaled he’s in no rush — saying discussions about a stage showdown can wait until it’s clear which candidates ultimately qualify for the ballot.
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