‘Bold and clear’: Byron Donalds kicks off campaign for Governor from Bonita Springs

Byron Donalds launches campaign for Governor in Bonita Springs. Screenshot via campaign livestream.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds kicked off his campaign for Governor with a rally in Bonita Springs.

There, the Naples Republican laid out his five-point agenda for Florida’s future.

“My plan for Florida is bold and clear,” Donalds said. “Fix the insurance prices, build new roads, finish restoring the Everglades. Make Florida the financial capital of the world, and ensure our kids master math, reading, writing and reasoning.”

Crowds lined up outside the Sugarshack Downtown hours before the formal launch event began. Donalds formally filed for Governor in February, shortly after President Donald Trump preemptively endorsed and urged him to run.

Donalds stressed a strong relationship with the President as he committed to continuing the America First agenda in Florida.

“President Trump and I developed a strong friendship. He watched me battle the left take on all comers and help him make America great again,” Donalds said.

As the event kicked off, local politicians Bonita Springs Mayor Mike Gibson and state Rep. Lauren Melo shared the stage with some of Donalds’ congressional colleagues, U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Cory Mills. Mills called Donalds his best friend in Congress, while Melo discussed the heft of immediately succeeding Donalds in serving Naples in the Florida House. Cammack told the crowd she was five months pregnant and discussed her strong relationship with Donalds and his wife, Erika.

“I came into Congress with Byron, and I knew on Day One that this guy wasn’t just going to be a colleague, he wasn’t just going to be a friend, he was going to be family,” Cammack said.

Erika Donalds, a nationally known school choice advocate herself, ultimately introduced Byron Donalds on stage. She touted her husband’s humble beginnings and recalled that the couple moved to Naples after graduating from Florida State University. At the same time, Byron Donalds still worked at Cracker Barrel, though he had aspirations he would quickly achieve in finance. But Erika Donalds said her husband gave that success in the private sector up for the chance to represent Southwest Florida in Congress.

“I know that this campaign for Governor is going to bring people together, the same as Byron has done throughout his career. Throughout his service to the community. Throughout his time in Congress. People will come together behind an aspirational vision for our state.”

As Donalds took the stage, speculation persisted about whether he would face First Lady Casey DeSantis in a Republican Primary next year. However, he offered only praise for outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis as he discussed the state of Florida.

“I can be this bold about our future because we are building on a great foundation left to us by Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis,” Donalds said.

Donalds touted his legislative record, from advancing school choice scholarships to voting against Florida’s red flag laws, as evidence of his conservative bona fides. He recalled being told an early stance against COVID lockdowns and mask mandates had some warning he would lose a Republican Primary for Congress in 2020, but noted he went on to win the GOP nomination in Florida’s 19th Congressional District and to ascend to the U.S. House.

Now, Donalds said he’s ready to serve the entire state of Florida.

“Together, we will get this done,” he said. “Florida will continue to be the best state in America and show the other 49 how to get the job done.”