What a great press conference in Tampa, Florida with @Paul_Renner. He absolutely took down Byron Donalds for not standing with Gov. DeSantis to pass conservative legislation.
This right here. I will never understand voting for a Democrat just because your candidate didn't win the primary.
The primary SUCKED. It's likely the one thing that every Renner, Fishback, and Collins supporter agrees on.
But you're not doing the state any favors voting Jolly
Some people are angry that I'm voting for Byron Donalds.
"He was forced on us!"
"You're enabling the GOP!"
"You're rewarding the establishment!"
Fine. Let's talk about it.
First, let me make something clear: I'm not a Republican.
After the 2024 presidential primary, I changed my voter registration to NPA.
And I did so for precisely the same reason many of you are angry about Donalds today.
I had become completely disillusioned with the Republican primary process. I felt the primaries had become a joke, and I no longer wanted to identify with a political party.
So believe me when I tell you: I understand the frustration.
Now, let me explain why I'm voting for Byron Donalds.
It's the same reason I voted for Donald Trump in 2024.
I didn't want Trump. I wanted Ron DeSantis.
And to this day, I firmly believe DeSantis would have been the better choice. I haven't changed my mind about that one bit.
After the primary, I was so disgusted with the entire process that, for a while, I swore I would stay home on Election Day.
But here is one difference:
Unlike some of the people who are now threatening to vote for Jolly, I never—not for one second—considered voting for Kamala Harris.
The thought didn't even cross my mind.
I was furious with the GOP. I thought the way the primary unfolded was absolutely insane.
The thing is, we have an election process in this country. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Does it have serious flaws? Of course.
But it's still a pretty damn good system overall.
And sometimes, that system produces a choice you don't particularly like.
That doesn't mean you abandon everything you believe in just to make a point.
Years ago, you could have made a legitimate argument that a moderate Democrat might be a better choice than a Republican who was a RINO.
And depending on the candidates, I might even have agreed with you.
But that was then. This is 2026.
The Democratic Party of today is not the Democratic Party of 20 or 30 years ago.
And if you genuinely consider yourself a conservative, it's awfully difficult to reconcile those beliefs with voting to put today's Democratic Party in power.
Which brings me to David Jolly.
I've seen people argue that voting for Jolly will "teach the GOP a lesson."
Really? What lesson, exactly?
That if Republicans don't nominate your preferred candidate, you'll help elect a Democrat?
You think Republican leadership is going to sit around contemplating its mistakes because you voted for Jolly?
Come on, be real.
Voting for Jolly isn't punishing the GOP. It's electing a Democrat.
That's it. That's the consequence.
You want to change the Republican Party? Great. I'm all for it.
Get involved. Organize. Support better candidates. Build coalitions. Challenge the establishment.
Do something beyond screaming on Twitter about how unfair everything is.
And let me be perfectly clear about Donalds.
I have my doubts about him. Plenty of them.
I don't believe he's anywhere near the caliber of Ron DeSantis.
Hell, I wouldn't even put the two men in the same category.
DeSantis has been an extraordinary governor. His accomplishments over eight years have fundamentally changed Florida for the better.
Do I believe Donalds will be as effective? I highly doubt it.
But I know what the choice is.
It's Byron Donalds or David Jolly.
A Republican or a Democrat.
And I'm not going to help elect a Democrat simply because I'm unhappy with the Republican nominee.
You're free to vote for whoever you want. That's your right, and I respect it.
But don't pretend you're striking some heroic blow against the GOP establishment by voting for Jolly.
You're not.
You're helping put a Democrat in the governor's mansion.
And if you genuinely believe that a supposedly moderate Democrat is better positioned to preserve and build upon what Ron DeSantis has accomplished in Florida over the last eight years than a Republican governor... my friend, you're delusional.
I didn't get the candidate I wanted in 2024.
I didn't get the candidate I wanted in 2026.
But elections aren't about getting everything you want.
Sometimes they're about choosing between the options actually in front of you.
And I'm not about to sacrifice eight years of conservative progress in Florida just to send the Republican Party a message it probably won't even hear.
That's why I'm voting for Byron Donalds.
Not because I'm thrilled with him.
Not because I owe the Republican Party anything.
And certainly not because anyone told me to.
I'm voting for him because, when the dust settles and the political tantrums are over, Florida still needs a governor.
And between the two choices on the ballot, the decision isn't particularly difficult for me. I want a Republican. Period.
@EmJHarris2@Marta207Evans@DosHatGato@nancy_gemma No. Say the name.
I don’t care about the nuances behind it, only those that want to give themselves excuses do. I don’t care if it was full throated or not. Byron is part of the slate and is endorsed by DeSantis. Period.
The semantics only matter to those not happy about it.