(ThyBlackMan.com) Former British Prime Minister during World War II once told me, “To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”
These are the words that come to mind when I think of my good friend Congressman Byron Donalds who represents the 19th district of Florida.
His district is in Southwest Florida and includes the cities of Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Bonita Springs, Naples and Marco Island.
Donalds has been in Congress since 2021 and is expected to win his third term in November.
For all the race baiting and anti-American rhetoric emanating from the radical left Democrat Party, Donalds is proof positive that the American dream is still alive and well today.
He was born and raised in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York in the seventies. In his early years he encountered a couple of legal issues that he would eventually overcome.
He attended Florida A&M University, a historically Black college, but graduated from Florida State University with a degree in marketing and finance.
He spent a decade in the financial services industry before trying his hand at elective politics. In 2016, Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and chaired the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.
I met Donalds in 2018 when I served as then Congressman Ron DeSantis’ senior advisor for his gubernatorial campaign. We won the election against radical liberal Democrat, Andrew Gillum in no small part due to Donalds advice and counsel.
He had a commanding grasp of the political landscape throughout Florida and had a pretty good rolodex of people that he introduced me to. I brought a national perspective to the campaign and Donalds brought the local.
Donalds has brought the same political dexterity to his being a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on both the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Many in politics consider Donalds a “rising star.” I would respectfully disagree. He is a star!!!
He is a top Trump surrogate and many believe he could very well be the next governor of Florida. The incumbent governor, Ron DeSantis will be term limited from seeking reelection in 2026, thus presenting a possible opening for Donalds.
Donalds is a rare breed of politician, especially among his contemporaries. He is a great orator; I think he could give Jesse Jackson a run for the money.
What separates him from his contemporaries is his detailed command of public policy. Good speakers come a dime a dozen; but to be a good speaker with a command of public policy means there are great things ahead.
I have seen Donalds take sometimes complicated, esoteric issues like the federal budget or banking regulations and explain it in a language that non-politicians could understand.
As if that was not enough, he is a genuinely nice person. His staff loves working for him.
I know and work with many members of congress and their respective staffs and I can say very emphatically that Donalds has one of the best staffs on Capitol Hill. Bar none!
One staffer in particular, Madeline Dawson, Donalds director of operations and scheduling, is such a delight to deal with. She is quick to get you answers to questions. I call her the “gateway” to Congressman Donalds!
Then you have Alexandria Smith, his legislative director, which means she manages all the legislation the congressman is working on. I call her “the quiet storm.” She does not say much, but when she does—lookout. A hurricane has nothing on her!
Finally, you have Daniel First, his communications director. He is second to none!!! Pun intended. He is an outside the box thinker when it comes to communications.
Every time Congressman Byron Donalds has been tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents, he has hit it out of the ballpark.
He came from a single parent home but found a way to get through college. Upon graduating, he found a way to become gainfully employed. In 2016, when he was told he could not win his state house seat, he found the votes to win. In 2020, when his opponents knew they could not beat him at the ballot box, they resorted to dirty tricks; he still won.
At every turn when he has been tapped on the shoulder, he has managed to prevail.
What a tragedy if the great people of Florida do not get behind him when he makes public the next chapter of his life!
Staff Writer; Raynard Jackson
This talented brother is a Pulitzer Award nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter; RealRaynardJ; on Gettr: RaynardJackson.
Can also drop him an email at; RaynardJ@ThyBlackMan.com.
