Aides inside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2024 campaign traded barbs this week with Rep. Byron Donalds, the state’s only Black Republican in Congress, over Florida’s new educational standards for African American history.
The battle began when Donalds criticized a part of the curriculum that teaches Florida students that some slaves "developed skills from which they could personally benefit."
"The new African-American standards in FL are good, robust, & accurate. That being said, the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong & needs to be adjusted. That obviously wasn't the goal & I have faith that FLDOE will correct this," Donalds said on Wednesday.
DeSantis rapid response director Christina Pushaw replied to Donalds that evening asking, "Did Kamala Harris write this tweet?," a reference to opposition to the language on slavery from the White House.
The governor’s campaign press secretary Jeremy Redfern added, "Laundering a lie for the White House isn’t a good look."
"Supposed conservatives in the federal government are pushing the same false narrative that originated from the [White House]. Florida isn’t going to hide the truth for political convenience," Redfern said in a wider statement. "Maybe the congressman shouldn’t swing for the liberal media fences like [Harris]."
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Donalds, who endorsed former President Trump for 2024, then pointed out that he praised most of the curriculum and accused DeSantis’s team of acting "desperately."
"What's crazy to me is I expressed support for the vast majority of the new African American history standards and happened to oppose one sentence that seemed to dignify the skills gained by slaves as a result of their enslavement," Donalds said.
"Anyone who can't accurately interpret what I said is disingenuous and is desperately attempting to score political points. Just another reason why l'm proud to have endorsed President Donald J. Trump!"
Pushaw and Redfern replied to Donalds’s tweet with gifs of Harris in various smiling poses.
Trump’s campaign also released a statement backing Donalds, lauding him as a "conservative hero."
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"Congressman Byron Donalds is a conservative hero. The Republican Party is lucky to have him as a leader, and President Trump is honored to have his endorsement," Trump adviser Jason Miller said. "For the OFFICIAL office of the Governor, and (what’s left of) Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign to attempt to smear Congressman Donalds like this is a disgrace – and it’s indicative of why DeSantis has plummeted faster than any presidential candidate in history."
DeSantis’s aides attacked Miller in response, as Pushaw replied to his statement with a gif of Harris applauding. Redfern quipped, "Are they clapping because he finally paid his child support?"
