Donalds responds to DeSantis attacks, political analyst weighs in

Reporter: Emma Heaton Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:

Congressman Byron Donalds fired back at Governor DeSantis after he criticized Donalds’ comments on the new African American history standards.

Donalds spoke on Fox Business Friday, “This is a dumb story and it’s brought to us by the DeSantis campaign. They’re the ones who made this an issue.”

During an exclusive interview with WINK News on Tuesday, Donalds pointed to the following line in the curriculum for middle school students, “How slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

DeSantis criticized Donalds after the interview in Iowa.

Donalds explained Friday, “My stance on where I am politically is very, very clear. But if I have an issue with one sentence, I’m allowed to have that the fact that they made this a story is dumb. In my view.”

Tim Scott, a Republican Senator from South Carolina, said, “What slavery was, it was really about separating families, about mutilating humans, and even raping their wives. It was just devastating. So I would hope that every person in our country and certainly running for president would appreciate that.”

UCF political analyst Aubrey Jewett said this is not good for Florida’s governor or his campaign.

“I think the optics of attacking conservative black Republican congressmen, for speaking out about slavery and the way it’s taught, it might be a political mistake,” Jewett said.

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