Byron Donalds

And that's, that's still the case today.

Uh, like said something to your face. I'll tell this one. I'll tell this one.

Uh, like said something to your face. I'll tell this one. I'll tell this one.

Uh, like said something to your face. I'll tell this one. I'll tell this one.

What is politics actually like? So when I first ran for Congress, this was back in 2012, uh, And I ran because people in the Tea Party movement asked me. I'll never forget it. I was at a restaurant called Verghina's in Naples, Florida, and I was a volunteer on Herman Cain's presidential campaign. And Herman Cain had just dropped out. God rest his soul. God rest Herman Cain's soul.

What is politics actually like? So when I first ran for Congress, this was back in 2012, uh, And I ran because people in the Tea Party movement asked me. I'll never forget it. I was at a restaurant called Verghina's in Naples, Florida, and I was a volunteer on Herman Cain's presidential campaign. And Herman Cain had just dropped out. God rest his soul. God rest Herman Cain's soul.

What is politics actually like? So when I first ran for Congress, this was back in 2012, uh, And I ran because people in the Tea Party movement asked me. I'll never forget it. I was at a restaurant called Verghina's in Naples, Florida, and I was a volunteer on Herman Cain's presidential campaign. And Herman Cain had just dropped out. God rest his soul. God rest Herman Cain's soul.

The head of the local Herman Cain campaign came up to me and she was she's like five foot two. And she walks up to me and she points her finger at me and she goes, you need to run for Congress. And I go, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Like, I'm just a regular guy. I don't even know how you do that. She's like, you need to run. You'll be great. People like you, you know, issues.

The head of the local Herman Cain campaign came up to me and she was she's like five foot two. And she walks up to me and she points her finger at me and she goes, you need to run for Congress. And I go, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Like, I'm just a regular guy. I don't even know how you do that. She's like, you need to run. You'll be great. People like you, you know, issues.

The head of the local Herman Cain campaign came up to me and she was she's like five foot two. And she walks up to me and she points her finger at me and she goes, you need to run for Congress. And I go, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Like, I'm just a regular guy. I don't even know how you do that. She's like, you need to run. You'll be great. People like you, you know, issues.

And I'm like, I'm just a regular guy. And she's like, we'll all help you. First rule of politics. Everybody who says they're going to help you, they don't always help you. But that's just that's not that's not the big stuff. There was a guy I used to do a radio. I did a show with him off and on. I would come in and do a hit or two and leave.

And I'm like, I'm just a regular guy. And she's like, we'll all help you. First rule of politics. Everybody who says they're going to help you, they don't always help you. But that's just that's not that's not the big stuff. There was a guy I used to do a radio. I did a show with him off and on. I would come in and do a hit or two and leave.

And I'm like, I'm just a regular guy. And she's like, we'll all help you. First rule of politics. Everybody who says they're going to help you, they don't always help you. But that's just that's not that's not the big stuff. There was a guy I used to do a radio. I did a show with him off and on. I would come in and do a hit or two and leave.

And I heard through the grapevine that he was telling people. That I would have to be crazy if I thought that a black guy could win Collier County, which is Naples where I live. And I heard it. It came back to me. People say a lot thinking it doesn't come back to me. It comes back to me. I just file it and keep moving. Right.

And I heard through the grapevine that he was telling people. That I would have to be crazy if I thought that a black guy could win Collier County, which is Naples where I live. And I heard it. It came back to me. People say a lot thinking it doesn't come back to me. It comes back to me. I just file it and keep moving. Right.

And I heard through the grapevine that he was telling people. That I would have to be crazy if I thought that a black guy could win Collier County, which is Naples where I live. And I heard it. It came back to me. People say a lot thinking it doesn't come back to me. It comes back to me. I just file it and keep moving. Right.

So he's like, man, I think he'd have to be crazy if he thinks a black man will win Collier County. So I just put that in his motivation. And I said, oh yeah, okay, well watch this. We ended up winning Collier County in that election, won it by five points, but I lost Lee County, which is a longer county, the larger county, so I didn't win the congressional seat.

So he's like, man, I think he'd have to be crazy if he thinks a black man will win Collier County. So I just put that in his motivation. And I said, oh yeah, okay, well watch this. We ended up winning Collier County in that election, won it by five points, but I lost Lee County, which is a longer county, the larger county, so I didn't win the congressional seat.

So he's like, man, I think he'd have to be crazy if he thinks a black man will win Collier County. So I just put that in his motivation. And I said, oh yeah, okay, well watch this. We ended up winning Collier County in that election, won it by five points, but I lost Lee County, which is a longer county, the larger county, so I didn't win the congressional seat.

During that process, we would have debates. And when I really learned that politics is really about the arena, at its core, it's still about the arena, it's still about the Coliseum, was when you get into these debates or these conversations or these arguments, and you're having to compare yourself against the people next to you. And I would go into these debates and nobody would know who I was.