Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who spent most of his nine years in Congress without making his race a primary focus of his political messaging, recently embarked on a series of Black voter outreach events across the Miami area. In an interview, the Republican nominee for Florida governor stated that he is targeting over 20% of the Black vote. Donalds noted that many Black voters are evaluating his campaign to determine who can best lead Florida forward and are becoming less monolithically tied to the Democratic Party. Past exit polls showed that roughly 13% of Black voters backed Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022, while President Trump won about 15% of the Black vote in Florida during the 2024 presidential election. In 2024, Donalds served as a prominent national surrogate for Trump, utilizing informal discussions to champion the ticket in challenging environments. He is now applying that same strategy to his own gubernatorial bid. A victory for Donalds would place him among a small group of Black state executives, as only three elected Black governors exist in U.S. history, and he is one of three nominees this year aiming to become the first Black Republican governor ever elected. Asked about making history, Donalds admitted it feels wild, despite typically avoiding identity-based appeals. Speaking at the Black Professionals Summit’s Legacy Con, Donalds emphasized that Florida operates as a meritocracy where voters ultimately care about competence. While organizers also invited Democratic nominee David Jolly, he did not attend due to a scheduling conflict. With less than a month until the election, Donalds stressed that his campaign targets every demographic across the state. However, some voters expressed hesitation regarding his close alignment with Trump. During a stop at a Miami Gardens restaurant, local resident Jermaine Woodside noted that while a conversation left him more open to Donalds, his association with Trump remains a concern. Other residents staged quiet protests or voiced skepticism about his strategy and platform. Nonpartisan voting rights advocates also criticized Donalds for declining candidate pledges supporting certain Democratic-backed voting bills. As recent polling indicates a competitive race in a state where Democrats have not won since the 1990s, Donalds’ outreach to Black voters could significantly impact the path to the governor’s mansion.
Source: cbsnews.com
