Byron Donalds Does Not Mention Trump at Florida Rally Ahead of Trump Visit
Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for Florida governor, did not mention President Donald Trump in his speech at a Broward County rally, even as Trump prepares to appear with him in Fort Myers on Friday. Donalds rallied Republicans in Broward on Wednesday, October 21, at the Green Glades West ranch, according to the Sun Sentinel and The Guardian. The same report noted a poll showing the race for governor tightening.
Donalds is a three-term Republican congressman seeking to succeed Ron DeSantis, the current governor. He is backed by Trump, and AP has described him as a staunch ally of the president. His Democratic opponent is David Jolly, a former U.S. representative who won his party's nomination in August. According to his campaign website, Donalds was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Naples, and is a graduate of Florida State University.
The Guardian reported that the campaign removed almost every mention of Trump from its website last month. The change included dropping "enact the Trump agenda" as the campaign's top priority. Asked whether he would attend Trump's Fort Myers event, Donalds said, "Of course I'm going to be there."
NBC News reported that Trump will travel to Fort Myers to rally in support of Donalds. The event is scheduled for Friday, a little more than a week before the November 3 election. Republican Senator Ashley Moody, who is also on the ballot that day, has held a joint rally with Donalds.
Registered Republicans in Florida outnumber Democrats by more than 1.5 million, according to The Guardian. If Donalds wins, he would be the state's first Black governor.
