Byron Donalds

who are super talented in various aspects, but if you don't get the timing right, it doesn't matter. And so, you know, look, again, I speak bluntly. I don't try to hide the ball too much. In my core, and you can ask anybody on my team, ask my wife, I always felt that the right time for the governor to make that run was 2018.

That's how I felt because I felt that at the time with every, as terrible as Joe Biden was as president and how disastrous the bureaucracy was because he was not paying attention. So they were really out there doing whatever with no checks from the elected will of the country. You needed somebody who can step in literally day one and say, yeah, enough. We're not doing any of this.

That's how I felt because I felt that at the time with every, as terrible as Joe Biden was as president and how disastrous the bureaucracy was because he was not paying attention. So they were really out there doing whatever with no checks from the elected will of the country. You needed somebody who can step in literally day one and say, yeah, enough. We're not doing any of this.

We never had that conversation.

We never had that conversation.

But, I mean, he was in a different space than, let's say, Vivek. Because the governor, and again, to his credit, he had established himself nationally because of how he handled and led our state during COVID. And he did the best job. It wasn't close in guiding our state through COVID-19. And he had established himself. So every political campaign is like every boxing match, every UFC fight.

But, I mean, he was in a different space than, let's say, Vivek. Because the governor, and again, to his credit, he had established himself nationally because of how he handled and led our state during COVID. And he did the best job. It wasn't close in guiding our state through COVID-19. And he had established himself. So every political campaign is like every boxing match, every UFC fight.

Styles make fights. That's just the way it is. So it would have been really tough for him to play it that way because then the next question would be, well, then why are you running? You see what I'm saying? And I think with Vivek, the reason why it was different for Vivek, just outside looking in, is because Vivek was new to the scene. And people didn't really know.

Styles make fights. That's just the way it is. So it would have been really tough for him to play it that way because then the next question would be, well, then why are you running? You see what I'm saying? And I think with Vivek, the reason why it was different for Vivek, just outside looking in, is because Vivek was new to the scene. And people didn't really know.

I remember the early days with Vivek's from, people was like still trying to figure out how to pronounce both names. Right. You know what I'm saying? And shout out to Vivek. Love him. But that's the truth. Sure. So it's different when you are established, but then you pay deference. The next question is, so then why are you here? I'll tell you a quick story.

I remember the early days with Vivek's from, people was like still trying to figure out how to pronounce both names. Right. You know what I'm saying? And shout out to Vivek. Love him. But that's the truth. Sure. So it's different when you are established, but then you pay deference. The next question is, so then why are you here? I'll tell you a quick story.

This is a story that I don't tell publicly much. I'll share it. When I was running for Congress in 2020, one of my opponents, I'm not going to say his name, called me. and wanted to have lunch and meet. And I knew what he was going to try to do. He was going to try to get me out the race to back him. And we're sitting down and we're just talking.

This is a story that I don't tell publicly much. I'll share it. When I was running for Congress in 2020, one of my opponents, I'm not going to say his name, called me. and wanted to have lunch and meet. And I knew what he was going to try to do. He was going to try to get me out the race to back him. And we're sitting down and we're just talking.

30 minutes later, he goes, listen, Byron, I think you're great. I think you're talented. You could be a future governor. You could be a future senator. But I'm going to have more money in the race. So I think you should drop out and back me because I have the resources to win. And I looked at him and I said,

30 minutes later, he goes, listen, Byron, I think you're great. I think you're talented. You could be a future governor. You could be a future senator. But I'm going to have more money in the race. So I think you should drop out and back me because I have the resources to win. And I looked at him and I said,

With everything you just said, my only question is, why aren't you getting out and backing me? Because if you feel I have all these abilities to do all these things, then why are you running?

With everything you just said, my only question is, why aren't you getting out and backing me? Because if you feel I have all these abilities to do all these things, then why are you running?

First thing, I think we have to be honest. Insurance costs in part are higher because the cost to replace housing is higher. So before you even get into the premiums that people pay, the first thing we got to understand is because of the acceleration of building, the massive inflation in the last four years, the

First thing, I think we have to be honest. Insurance costs in part are higher because the cost to replace housing is higher. So before you even get into the premiums that people pay, the first thing we got to understand is because of the acceleration of building, the massive inflation in the last four years, the

Scarcity of material, the regulatory environment around getting said material, it is much more expensive to build a home today than it was five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago. And the core part of insurance is the replacement cost of the property. So if the house I own right now, to rebuild it, probably would cost me 10% to 15% more than what I paid for it.