Wikipedia

Byron Donalds

Byron Lowell Donalds (born October 28, 1978)[2] is an American politician and financial analyst who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 19th congressional district since 2021, as a member of the Republican Party. His district includes much of Southwest Florida.[3][4]

Byron Donalds
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 19th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byFrancis Rooney
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 80th district
In office
November 8, 2016 – November 3, 2020
Preceded byMatt Hudson
Succeeded byLauren Melo
Personal details
Born
Byron Lowell Donalds

(1978-10-28) October 28, 1978 (age 46)
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (since 2010)[1]
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (until 2010)[1]
Spouses
Bisa Hall
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2002)​
​
(m. 2003)​
Children3
EducationFlorida A&M University
Florida State University (BS)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • financier
  • credit analyst
WebsiteHouse website
Byron Donalds's voice
Byron Donalds explains his opposition to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021
Recorded April 7, 2022

Born and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Donalds attended Florida A&M University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and marketing from Florida State University in 2002. Before entering politics, Donalds worked in the finance, insurance, and banking industries.[2] In the conservative wing of the Republican Party,[5][6][7] Donalds was a member of the Tea Party movement and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. He represented the 80th district in the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 to 2020.[8][9][10]

Donalds was elected to Congress in 2020, defeating Democratic nominee Cindy Banyai. In the January 2023 Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives election, he was nominated for the speakership in the fourth through 11th rounds of voting.[11] Several months later, Donalds was a candidate in the third nomination for the October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election.[12]

In January 2021, Donalds voted to object to the certification of electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania in the 2020 presidential election.[13] Donalds said that he did not "personally" believe that President Joe Biden was a "legitimate" president of the United States,[14] but that Biden was nevertheless the president.[15]

Early life and education

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Donalds was born and raised in the Crown Heights neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.[16][17] One of three children, he was raised by his single mother.[16] In 1996, Donalds graduated from Nazareth Regional High School in East Flatbush.[18] Donalds is of Jamaican and Panamanian heritage.[19][20]

In 1997, Donalds was charged with marijuana possession, but the charges were dropped as part of a pre-trial diversion program, and he was fined $150 (equivalent to $280 in 2023).[21][22] In 2000, he pleaded no contest to a felony theft charge for allegedly attempting to defraud a bank (by depositing a bad check), but his record was later sealed and expunged.[21][22][23][24] According to an attorney consulted by the fact-checking site PolitiFact, "Donalds would not have been able to get his record expunged if the state considered him a convicted felon."[25]

Donalds attended Florida A&M University and subsequently transferred. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and marketing from Florida State University in 2002.[16][26]

Career

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Donalds and President Donald Trump in 2019 with a former inmate freed by the First Step Act

Donalds began his professional career in 2003 as a credit analyst at TIB Bank. He was promoted to senior credit analyst in 2004, and later promoted to commercial credit manager, assistant vice president, and credit manager. Donalds left TIB Bank in 2007 and took a position as a portfolio manager at CMG Surety LLC. In 2015, he joined Wells Fargo Advisors as a Financial Advisor.[27]

After Donalds became involved in the Tea Party movement, he was encouraged to run for office.[16]

In 2012, Donalds was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida's 19th congressional district. He finished fifth of six candidates.[28] In 2014, he was reported as a likely candidate for the U.S. House in Florida's 19th congressional district after Trey Radel resigned, but did not run.[28]

Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. During his Florida House tenure, he chaired the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.[29]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2020

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Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 19
 
Donalds being sworn in by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

Donalds was the Republican nominee for Florida's 19th congressional district in the 2020 election, running to succeed retiring incumbent Francis Rooney. He won a crowded nine-way Republican primary by 770 votes over State Representative Dane Eagle, finishing just over the threshold to avoid a recount.[30][31] Republicans have a 550,000-voter advantage over Democrats in registration, and Florida Gulf Coast University professor Peter Bergerson noted that the Republican primary is almost always the real contest for most races in the area.[30][32] In August 2020, anonymous text messages were sent out to constituents in the 19th district claiming that Donalds was dropping out of the race. Donalds later clarified via tweet that he was not dropping out and called the messages "illegal".[33][34]

During his campaign, Donalds described himself as a "Trump supporting, gun owning, liberty loving, pro-life, politically incorrect Black man."[35] He stated his support for economic freedom, clean water, nuclear power and decreased government involvement in health care. He opposed the Green New Deal.[16]

In the November general election, Donalds defeated Democratic nominee Cindy Banyai. Donalds said he would focus on policy related to water quality in Southwest Florida.[36] Upon his swearing-in on January 3, 2021, Donalds became the sixth person to represent this district since its creation in 1983 (it had been the 13th District from 1983 to 1993, the 14th from 1993 to 2013, and has been the 19th since 2013).

Tenure in Congress

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In late 2020, Donalds was identified as a participant in the "Freedom Force", a group of incoming House Republicans who "say they’re fighting against socialism in America".[37][38][39] The following year Donalds was blocked from joining the Congressional Black Caucus.[40][41]

2020 Election

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In January 2021, Donalds voted to object to the certification of electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania in the 2020 presidential election.[42] Donalds has since claimed that Joe Biden was not the legitimate president of the United States, a claim he repeated in a Vanity Fair interview in July 2023.[14]

Iraq

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In June 2021, Donalds was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[43][44]

Syria

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In 2023, Donalds was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.[45][46]

January 2023 Speaker of the House election

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Main article: January 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election

On January 3, 2023, Donalds received one vote in the 118th Congress's first election for Speaker of the House, from Chip Roy.[47] Donalds voted for Kevin McCarthy on the first two ballots, then for Jim Jordan on the third.[48] On January 4, on the fourth ballot, Roy nominated Donalds for Speaker, and he received 20 votes.[47] This marked the first time two Black lawmakers were nominated for Speaker, the other being Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries.[49] He was nominated by Lauren Boebert on the fifth ballot, and again received 20 votes.[50] He was sequentially nominated by Scott Perry,[51] Dan Bishop, Andy Biggs, Matt Rosendale, and Anna Paulina Luna on the sixth to tenth ballots. He was not nominated on the 11th ballot, but still received 12 votes. Donalds switched[52] his vote back to McCarthy after House Republican leadership made many concessions to House Freedom Caucus members.

October 2023 candidacy for Speaker

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Main article: October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election

Donalds was a candidate for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives in the October 2023 election.[53]

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

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Donalds was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[54]

Israel

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Donalds voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[55][56]

Jim Crow era

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In a political outreach event in June 2024, Donalds opined as follows about the Jim Crow era:[57][58]

You see, during Jim Crow, the black family was together. During Jim Crow, more black people were not just conservative, black people have always been conservative-minded, but more black people voted conservatively. And then, HEW., Lyndon Johnson, and then you go down that road, and now we are where we are. What's happened in America the last ten years, and I say it because it's my contemporaries…you're starting to see more black people be married in homes raising kids.

After some backlash against those remarks, Donalds denied “that Black people were doing better under Jim Crow” or that “Jim Crow is great”, and also denied having been inaccurate when he said that black marriage rates were relatively high during that era.[59]

Committee assignments

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For the 118th Congress:[60]

Caucus memberships

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Electoral history

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2016

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2016 Florida's 80th House district Republican primary[64]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 9,115 64.4%
Republican Joe Davidow 5,041 35.6%
Total votes 14,156 100.0
2016 Florida's 80th House district general election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 51,031 100.0%
Independent Anthony Joseph Cetrangelo (write-in) 7 0.0%
Total votes 51,038 100.0

2018

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2018 Florida's 80th House district general election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 37,881 62.1%
Democratic Jennifer Boddicker 22,207 36.4%
Independent Dustin Alexander Lapolla 931 1.5%
Total votes 61,019 100.0

2020

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2020 Florida's 19th congressional district Republican primary results[65]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 23,492 22.6%
Republican Dane Eagle 22,715 21.9%
Republican Casey Askar 20,774 20.0%
Republican William Figlesthaler 19,075 18.3%
Republican Randy Henderson 7,858 7.6%
Republican Christy McLaughlin 4,245 4.1%
Republican Dan Severson 3,197 3.1%
Republican Darren Aquino 1,466 1.4%
Republican Daniel Kowal 1,135 1.1%
Total votes 103,957 100.0%
2020 Florida's 19th congressional district general election[66]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 272,440 61.27%
Democratic Cindy Banyai 172,146 38.72%
Independent Patrick Post (write-in) 3 0.01%
Total votes 444,589 100.0

2022

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2022 Florida's 19th congressional district Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 76,192 83.7
Republican Jim Huff 14,795 16.3
Total votes 90,987 100.0
2022 Florida's 19th congressional district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Donalds 213,035 68.01%
Democratic Cindy Banyai 100,226 31.99%
Independent Patrick Post (write-in) 13 0%
Total votes 313,274 100.0%

Personal life

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Byron Donalds married Bisa Hall on June 15, 1999. They divorced in 2002.[67][68] Donalds married Erika (née Lees) on March 15, 2003. They have three sons and live in Naples, Florida.[69]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ogles, Jacob (August 11, 2020). "Byron Donalds issues cease-and-desist letter to Casey Askar campaign". Florida Politics. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Meet Byron". Byron Donalds for Congress. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  3. ^ Sarkissian, Arek (August 30, 2016). "Donalds, Rommel win state House seats". Naples News. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  4. ^ "Florida House of Representatives - Byron Donalds - 2016-2018". Myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  5. ^ Broadwater, Luke (October 24, 2023). "House Speaker Election: Third Republican Nominee for Speaker Is Out". The New York Times. favorites of the party's right wing.
  6. ^ Bunn, Curtis (January 5, 2023). "Who is Byron Donalds? Rebel Republicans rally around the Florida congressman to defeat McCarthy". NBC News. conservative Republican
  7. ^ Fineout, Gary (August 27, 2023). "DeSantis to GOP Rep. Donalds: Whose side are you on?". Politico. DeSantis lumped the conservative Black Republican...
  8. ^ Conradis, Brandon (November 3, 2020). "Republican Byron Donalds wins House race in Florida". The Hill.
  9. ^ "Byron Donalds - 2018 - 2020 ( Speaker Oliva ) | Florida House of Representatives". Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  10. ^ "Black-American Members by Congress, 1870–Present". U.S. House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Sangal, Aditi; Vogt, Adrienne; Hayes, Mike; Chowdhury, Maureen; Hammond, Elise (January 5, 2023). "Live updates: House speaker vote and news". CNN. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Dolan, Paul (October 20, 2023). "Byron Donalds running for speaker of the House". WINK News. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c "Florida Department of State - Election Results". results.elections.myflorida.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Manriquez, Pablo (July 13, 2023). "Ron DeSantis May Have a Successor in the Wings: Byron Donalds". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "Biden is the worst president this country has ever seen: Rep. Byron Donalds". Fox Business. February 14, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d e Williams, Amy Bennett (September 25, 2020). "'Almost an oxymoron': Rising star Byron Donalds is a Black conservative aiming for national office". Fort Myers News-Press. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  17. ^ Akin, Stephanie (August 19, 2020). "Byron Donalds leading in Florida GOP primary, raising party's diversity hopes". Roll Call. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Nazareth Alumni Byron Donalds '96 Elected Florida State Representative". Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  19. ^ Donalds, Byron (October 25, 2021). "RULE 11: HAVE A VISION".
  20. ^ "Florida Congressman Rep. Byron Donalds tells Black elders he doesn't believe in US reparations". June 27, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Sarkissian, Arek (August 5, 2016). "Lawyer, banker compete in Collier, Hendry House race". Naples Daily News. Retrieved March 21, 2024. Donalds ... faced a marijuana possession charge in Leon County in 1997, but he was given pre-trial diversion and he paid a $150 fine, court records show.
  22. ^ a b Wright, Warren (April 28, 2014). "Tea Party star answers to charges of a criminal past". Fox 4 Now. Retrieved March 21, 2024 – via YouTube. He claims he was arrested for possession of pot, not distribution, and the second offense was for theft, not taking a bribe.
  23. ^ Bridges, C. (January 4, 2023). "One of the surprise nominees for Speaker of the House is a Florida rep. Who is Byron Donalds?". Naples Daily News. Retrieved March 21, 2024. When Donalds was 18, after a party at his apartment, he was arrested for possession of marijuana. Two years later, a female acquaintance convinced him he could make a thousand dollars by depositing a bad check.
  24. ^ Scott, Eugene (January 4, 2023). "Who is Byron Donalds? The latest Republican nominee for House speaker". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  25. ^ Sherman, Amy (August 6, 2020). "Florida GOP candidate's ad misleads about rival's criminal history". PolitiFact. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  26. ^ Buzzacco-Foerster, Jenna (August 4, 2016). "Meet Byron Donalds, Republican running in House District 80". Florida Politics. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  27. ^ "Contact Byron Donalds | Contact My Politician". www.contactmypolitician.com.
  28. ^ a b "Byron Donalds decides not to run for Congress". Naples News. February 11, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  29. ^ "Republican Byron Donalds wins District-19 Congressional seat". NBC2. Associated Press. November 4, 2020. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  30. ^ a b Bennett Williams, Amy (August 19, 2020). "Byron Donalds wins Republican primary election for U.S. Congressional District 19, will face Democrat Cindy Banyai". The News-Press. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  31. ^ Ogles, Jacob (January 6, 2020). "Byron Donalds announces bid for Francis Rooney's congressional seat". Florida Politics. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  32. ^ "Florida GOP voter edge continues to expand". CBS News. July 17, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  33. ^ Marquardt, Alex; Murphy, Paul P. (August 18, 2020). "Fake texts and YouTube video spread disinformation about Republican primary candidate on election day". CNN. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  34. ^ "Fake text claims Byron Donalds dropped out of Congressional race, he calls it illegal". NBC2 News. August 18, 2020. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  35. ^ Foran, Clare; Pathe, Simone (August 18, 2020). "4 things to watch in Tuesday's primaries in Florida and Wyoming". CNN. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  36. ^ Williams, Amy Bennett (November 3, 2020). "'Blessed and highly favored' Byron Donalds wins election for U.S. Congressional District 19, pledges water quality No. 1 priority". Naples News. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  37. ^ Jankowicz, Mia (November 30, 2020). "A group of incoming GOP House members, calling themselves the 'Freedom Force,' are trying to counter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Squad'". Business Insider.
  38. ^ Parke, Caleb (December 1, 2020). "GOP Congresswoman-elect on forming 'Freedom Force': Left is 'totally out of line' with mainstream". Fox News.
  39. ^ Noor, Poppy (November 30, 2020). "The 'Freedom Force': Republican group takes on the Squad and 'evil' socialism". The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  40. ^ Goba, Kadia (June 9, 2021). "The Congressional Black Caucus Is Blocking A Black Republican From Joining The Group". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  41. ^ Lonas, Lexi (June 9, 2021). "Congressional Black Caucus blocking Black House Republican from joining group". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  42. ^ Skoneki, Mark (January 7, 2021). "Florida Sen. Rick Scott votes yes on objection to Biden's presidency; Rubio votes no". The Orlando Sentinel.
  43. ^ Shabad, Rebecca (June 17, 2021). "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  44. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 172". U.S. House of Representatives. June 17, 2021. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  45. ^ "H.Con.Res. 21: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from Syria". 118th Congress. March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  46. ^ "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  47. ^ a b Choi, Matthew (January 3, 2023). "U.S. Rep. Chip Roy emerges as key GOP agitator in U.S. House speaker fight". The Texas Tribune.
  48. ^ Mueller, Julia (January 3, 2023). "20th GOP opponent to McCarthy explains his vote for Jordan". The Hill.
  49. ^ "For First Time In History, Two Black Lawmakers Nominated As House Speaker".
  50. ^ "Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert nominates Rep. Byron Donalds for House Speaker". CBS News. Associated Press. January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  51. ^ Tamari, Jonathan (January 4, 2023). "'Washington is broken': Scott Perry nominated a GOP alternative for House speaker". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  52. ^ Bakich, Jackson (January 6, 2023). "BREAKING: Donalds, Paulina Luna Flip, Vote for McCarthy". The Floridian.
  53. ^ Perry, Mitch (October 20, 2023). "Florida's Byron Donalds is now a candidate for U.S. House Speaker". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  54. ^ Gans, Jared (May 31, 2023). "Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no". The Hill. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  55. ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  56. ^ "Roll Call 528 | Bill Number: H. Res. 771". 118th Congress, 1st Session. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  57. ^ Walsh, Sean (June 5, 2024). "Rep. Byron Donalds draws backlash for expressing nostalgia for Jim Crow era during Philly event". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  58. ^ Phillip, Abby. “GOP's Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) Says, Black Family Was Together In Jim Crow Era; Trump Racks Up Major Legal Wins Delaying Georgia And Florida Cases; Trump's Two Cases On Hold Until Post-Elections; WSJ Report Reveals Biden Showing Signs Of Slipping; Senate Blocks Bill On Right To Contraception Access. Aired 10-11p ET”, CNN (5 Jun 2024).
  59. ^ Richards, Zoë. “Rep. Byron Donalds defends comments about Jim Crow”, NBC News (6 Jun 2024).
  60. ^ "Byron Donalds". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  61. ^ "Members". Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  62. ^ "Byron Donalds says he'll join House Freedom and Black Congressional Caucuses · The Floridian". September 18, 2020.
  63. ^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  64. ^ "August 30, 2016 Primary Election Official Results". Florida Department of State – Division of Elections. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  65. ^ "August 18, 2020 Primary Election Official Results". Florida Department of State – Division of Elections. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  66. ^ "November 3, 2020 General Election". Florida Department of State. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  67. ^ https://www.blackenterprise.com/byron-donalds-ex-wife-exposes-past-life-lies/ Retrieved August 10, 2024
  68. ^ https://news.wgcu.org/top-story/2024-07-09/trump-vp-hopeful-byron-donalds-ex-wife-shares-her-story-says-what-hes-doing-is-super-dangerous Retrieved August 10, 2024
  69. ^ Ceballos, Ana (January 10, 2010). "Five questions for State Rep. Byron Donalds". Naples News. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
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Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 80th district
2016–2020 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 19th congressional district
2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
299th 		Succeeded by
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