Florida Congressman Byron Donalds has announced his candidacy for the position of Speaker of the House. If elected, he would become the second in line for the presidency. This development follows the withdrawal of Ohio’s Jim Jordan as the Republican nominee for the role.
Net worth
He has a net worth approximately $5 Million.
Age
He is 44 years old.
Political views
Donalds, who was raised by a single mother in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, is a Donald Trump supporter and staunch anti-abortion and gun ownership advocate. While growing up, Donalds was arrested for distribution of marijuana and bribery. He completed a diversion program on the drug charge and the other was expunged. Donalds said the incident inspired him to change his life and eventually emerge from businessman to politician.
In 2021, Donalds was denied membership in the Congressional Black Caucus and insisted it was because of his conservative views. The American Conservative Union gave Donalds a 100% rating during his previous term, for his conservative voting record on a host of issues ranging from immigration to labor. He also was among the 147 Republicans in Congress who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Donalds also supported the laws in Florida that were considered by many Black leaders to be voter suppression efforts, including identification requirements that voting rights groups said disenfranchised Black voters.
Views on Ukraine
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) had said it was “not a good time” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Capitol Hill.
He had told reporters in a video posted by The Recount on X (formerly known as Twitter), “The first thing I’ll tell you is there’s no money in the House right now for Ukraine. It’s not there.”
At that time, Donalds was part of a Republican minority faction that consistently opposed Ukraine funding. He cited the U.S. deficit as the reason for his reluctance to provide additional aid to Ukraine, placing blame on President Biden for the ongoing conflict. He had remarked, “To be blunt, we’re running a $2 trillion deficit. Any money we give to Ukraine, we’re borrowing from our future. That’s the facts.”
Criminal history
Donalds attended Florida A&M University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and marketing from Florida State University in 2002. In 1997, Donalds was arrested for marijuana distribution; the charges were dropped as part of a pre-trial diversion program.
Career
Byron Donalds is an American politician and former businessman who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida’s 19th congressional district. He began his political career by winning a seat in the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, representing District 80. In 2020, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, Donalds has been known for his conservative stance on various issues, including fiscal policy, immigration, and healthcare. He has also been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Also Read: 22 Republicans voted against Jim Jordan for House speaker in the second round | Complete list
Wife Erika Donalds
Donalds’ wife, Erika Donalds, is also a conservative Republican involved in state politics. She has held the position of Collier County School Board vice chairwoman and was appointed in 2017 to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, which convenes every two decades to assess proposed amendments to the state constitution. Together, they have three children.
