Florida Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Byron Donalds posted a video on X saying voters in the state will reject socialism this November and help protect the Florida Dream. In the clip, Donalds said he believes in the conservative mission and that Floridians know what is best for the state. Online users reacted after the post, with some self-described Republicans calling him a “lying grifter” and saying they would not support him, while others pointed to rival David Jolly.
In the clip, Donalds appears in a television-style interview setting. On-screen captions show him saying, “We fully believe Republican voters,” and “we’re the best state.” He continues, “Even our Democrats love Florida,” and refers to a leadership record that “created the greatest state.”
Later in the footage, he addresses “people of Florida this November,” saying they should defend the Florida Dream, and adds, “We need to bring an affordable Florida today and into the future.” The video does not show the full interview or the questions he was answering.
In the accompanying post text, Donalds wrote that he believes in the conservative mission and that “Florida voters know what’s best for our state.” He said that this November “they’ll reject socialism, choose common sense, and help us protect and defend the Florida Dream.”
Donalds, a congressman from southwest Florida, is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis against Democrat David Jolly. Recent polls have shown a competitive race. A St. Pete Polls survey had Donalds at 44% and Jolly at 43%, while a Change Research survey conducted Sept. 25-27 found Jolly at 48% and Donalds at 46% among 1,063 likely voters.
Donalds isn’t alone in making socialism part of the Republican campaign message in Florida. Just days after his post, Vice President JD Vance joined him on the campaign trail and similarly attacked Democrats as “far-left socialists” while urging voters to support Republican candidates in November.
How Viewers Are Responding to the Florida Dream Post
Some users backed Donalds. “GooooooooOOOOOOOO Byron!! My next Governor #Florida,” one supporter wrote.
Others were critical, including people who identified themselves as Republicans. One user who said they had been a Republican for 49 years wrote, “Not in a million years will this lying grifter get my vote,” adding that they planned to support Jolly.
Another commenter wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about either candidate, writing, “Jolly sucks too,” before adding that they believed Donalds’ message about socialism would resonate with Florida voters.
Donalds has continued pushing that message on the campaign trail. During several South Florida stops on Friday, he again focused on affordability, including property taxes, housing, and insurance costs.
That gives some substance to the “affordable Florida” promise in his original video, even as Donalds continues framing the November election as a broader choice between conservative leadership and what he calls socialism.
