Byron Donalds

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.

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.

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.

And then we would leave the debates and everybody's like, man, who the hell is this guy? Like, that's the guy I like. And I think the other people I was running against after a while, they started having these conversations behind the scenes and they would say, you know what? We got to stop debating. And I was starting to hear about it. And I'm like, well, how come that person pulled out?

And then we would leave the debates and everybody's like, man, who the hell is this guy? Like, that's the guy I like. And I think the other people I was running against after a while, they started having these conversations behind the scenes and they would say, you know what? We got to stop debating. And I was starting to hear about it. And I'm like, well, how come that person pulled out?

And then we would leave the debates and everybody's like, man, who the hell is this guy? Like, that's the guy I like. And I think the other people I was running against after a while, they started having these conversations behind the scenes and they would say, you know what? We got to stop debating. And I was starting to hear about it. And I'm like, well, how come that person pulled out?

How come this person pulled out? And what got back to me after was you kept winning debates. And so the best way to stop your momentum is to not debate you. That's just a snippet of what happens behind the scenes. Nobody knows that out front. People will just be like, oh, that person dropped out, blah, blah, blah. No, no, no.

How come this person pulled out? And what got back to me after was you kept winning debates. And so the best way to stop your momentum is to not debate you. That's just a snippet of what happens behind the scenes. Nobody knows that out front. People will just be like, oh, that person dropped out, blah, blah, blah. No, no, no.

How come this person pulled out? And what got back to me after was you kept winning debates. And so the best way to stop your momentum is to not debate you. That's just a snippet of what happens behind the scenes. Nobody knows that out front. People will just be like, oh, that person dropped out, blah, blah, blah. No, no, no.

Typically what happens is when people start begging off, that's because they know they can't stand toe to toe. So now they have to go find another way to win. And so you'll get like the anonymous emails, anonymous text messages. People want to bring up your past and talk about all this other stuff. I mean, look, I got a past. I don't care. I talk about my past openly. Because I'm not perfect.

Typically what happens is when people start begging off, that's because they know they can't stand toe to toe. So now they have to go find another way to win. And so you'll get like the anonymous emails, anonymous text messages. People want to bring up your past and talk about all this other stuff. I mean, look, I got a past. I don't care. I talk about my past openly. Because I'm not perfect.

Typically what happens is when people start begging off, that's because they know they can't stand toe to toe. So now they have to go find another way to win. And so you'll get like the anonymous emails, anonymous text messages. People want to bring up your past and talk about all this other stuff. I mean, look, I got a past. I don't care. I talk about my past openly. Because I'm not perfect.

Made a lot of mistakes. But that's the stuff that happens behind the scenes. And you quickly realize it's not about your ability to be successful and to help people and to be good at the job and to help the state or help the country. Or in my vantage point, have conservatism be... like the standard bearer for how governments operate. It's about you want to be on top.

Made a lot of mistakes. But that's the stuff that happens behind the scenes. And you quickly realize it's not about your ability to be successful and to help people and to be good at the job and to help the state or help the country. Or in my vantage point, have conservatism be... like the standard bearer for how governments operate. It's about you want to be on top.

Made a lot of mistakes. But that's the stuff that happens behind the scenes. And you quickly realize it's not about your ability to be successful and to help people and to be good at the job and to help the state or help the country. Or in my vantage point, have conservatism be... like the standard bearer for how governments operate. It's about you want to be on top.

And so you will cut another man's legs out. So you're the tallest person in the room. That's what happens behind the scenes in politics. And I think that's why people get disgusted with it and really don't want to be a part of it. But, you know, Plato famously said, those that are ignorant of their politics are going to be ruled by their inferiors.