It’s only a matter of time until Gov. Ron DeSantis endorses Byron Donalds.
That’s the argument the Naples Congressman made regarding DeSantis’ eventual endorsement during a very friendly interview on Newsmax.
“When the Primaries are over, I look forward to being able to count on the support of Governor DeSantis,” Donalds said when asked about whether he thought a last-minute pre-Primary nod from the current Governor was in the cards.
Donalds noted that he has a lot of support from elsewhere, with President Donald Trump, MAGA MC Nicki Minaj and the vast majority of Sheriffs and legislators backing him, so he’s not sweating the DeSantis dither.
DeSantis said months ago that Donalds didn’t help out in battles against “the left” to defeat constitutional amendments lowering abortion restrictions and allowing adult-use recreational pot, and since then the candidate has been faced with questions and has presented varying answers.
Donalds previously predicted the current Governor will come around in the end, offering an “endorsement and being out there on the campaign trail with him.”
Donalds previously said he was “not concerned” about the lack of an endorsement from a Governor still sore that Donalds backed Trump in 2024’s Republican Primary race.
DeSantis hasn’t been shy about criticizing Donalds, including recently.
The Governor commented on Donalds’ recent concerns that fiscally constrained counties would be hurt by Amendment 3, the property tax measure on the Fall ballot that would raise the homestead exemption on non-school levies to $150,000 next year and $250,000 in 2028, with later increases tied to the consumer price index.
“I worry about taxpayers who local governments have overtaxed. Property tax revenue has nearly doubled for local governments this decade. The state has reduced its budget for 4 straight years — local governments can do the same. Floridians should not be taxed out of their homes!”
Even before Donalds ran for Governor, he took issue with the current chief executive’s position on Black history curriculum.
During a 2023 interview on the Fox Business Network, the Southwest Florida Congressman bristled at DeSantis World claiming Donalds, a Republican, sided with Vice President Kamala Harris’ criticisms of Florida’s Black history standards.
“This is a dumb story, and this is brought to us by the DeSantis campaign. They’re the ones who made this an issue,” Donalds said.
DeSantis’ presidential campaign super PAC identified Donalds as a member of the “Trump campaign” in a tweet highlighting the Governor’s position.
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