Byron Donalds sparks debate as he claims Democrats are ‘gaslighting’ Black voters by ‘twisting’ his words

WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Byron Donalds' controversial remarks about Black families and the Jim Crow era during a campaign event in Philadelphia have ignited a firestorm online, with the Florida Republican accusing Democrats of deliberately misrepresenting his words and stoking racial tensions for political gain.

In a recent combative interview with Newsmax, Donalds, who has served Florida's 19th congressional district since 2021, slammed Democrats' inability to have a serious conversation about race.

Byron Donalds accuses Democrats of deliberately misrepresenting his words for political gain

On Wednesday, June 5, key Democratic figures, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, President Joe Biden's campaign, and the Congressional Black Caucus, criticized Donalds for statements they claimed misrepresented historical and contemporary racial dynamics.

They accused him of implying that Black families were better off during the Jim Crow era.

In a video posted on his X account, Donalds clarified that his comments were taken out of context. He argued that the welfare policies introduced under President Lyndon Johnson had a detrimental impact on Black family units, which he claimed were more intact during the Jim Crow era.

Donalds also noted a positive cultural and political shift over the past decade, revitalizing the Black middle class in the United States.

Donalds, who is reportedly being considered as a potential running mate for Donald Trump in the upcoming election, expressed his frustration on 'Prime News'.

"What was so really disgusting about what has happened the last couple of days... We were talking in Philadelphia just about Black families, why that's important to the overall fabric of the Black community, and talking about Republican ideas and Donald Trump's ideas and what that means in the presidential election and beyond," he exclaimed.

Donalds accused the Biden campaign and other Democratic leaders of deliberately distorting his words to suggest he believed Black people were better off under Jim Crow laws.

"But leave it to the Biden campaign, Hakeem Jeffries, and the left to try to take my words out of context, clip my words, spin my words, and say that I would somehow think that Black people were better under Jim Crow. I would never say such a thing," he expressed.

"That's a dumb statement to make — not a statement I would ever make," Donalds asserted, emphasizing that the allegations were a sign of desperation as Democrats increasingly lose support among Black voters.

Donalds pointed to economic policies under the Biden administration as a key factor driving Black voters away from the Democratic Party. He criticized "Bidenomics",  claiming it has been detrimental to all Americans, particularly those in lower-income brackets.

"The truth is, everybody has fallen behind under Bidenomics. The cost of every product Americans buy has been up 20% or more during his presidency. And so, wages adjusted for inflation [are] down. Americans have lost [$4,000 to] $5,000 per year under Joe Biden," he claimed.

Byron Donalds' comments about Democrats spark debate online

Donalds' comments about Democrats sparked a heated online debate, with users on social media weighing in on both sides of the issue.

One Facebook user commented, "It is impossible to have a serious discussion with the Dems on any subject because they prefer to play on one's feelings instead of dealing with the facts."

Another user remarked, "The Democrats always use the race card every chance they get."

"Democrats use race to divide and conquer. --It's about domination with them," one user wrote, while another added, "Because democrats are inherently bigoted and racist."

However, not all responses were supportive of Donalds. One user wrote, "Congressman Byron Donalds demonstrated that he’s completely incapable of having a serious conversation about Jim Crow. Good gawd! What an embarrassment!"

A sixth user posted, "Republicans bring up race all the time they are hypocritical."

"People will never want to have serious conversations with you if you think blacks were better off during Jim Crow or blacks benefited a lot from slavery, like desantis’ mindset. You are just simply insane," another user stated.

Lastly, a user said, "God-level hypocrisy from Donalds considering he is a sycophant propagandist."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.