Rep Byron Donalds Calls for Mission Focus Following Recent GOP Losses [WATCH]

Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds urged conservatives to “focus on the mission” and recommit to turnout, messaging, and results following recent electoral setbacks, including a high-profile loss in Miami, during remarks Sunday at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, as reported by Fox News.

Speaking to attendees in Phoenix, Arizona, Donalds said recent losses should serve as a warning that Republicans cannot afford complacency, even after major national victories.

He emphasized that success ultimately depends on execution and delivering tangible results to voters.

“It’s about what you actually get done,” Donalds said, referencing frustration with congressional gridlock and the failure to advance portions of the conservative agenda despite Republican majorities.

“And I think it’s part of the message here at Turning Point.”

Donalds acknowledged internal disagreements within the conservative movement but said those disputes must take a back seat to the broader goal of winning elections and implementing policy.

“Look, we have disagreements, that’s all well and good. We’ve got to be focused on the mission in front of us,” he said.

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“We got to be focused on what’s actually going to get voters to the polls and making sure that they turn out to vote. It’s about having a set of positions, a philosophy, a vision for the future of this country. We have that vision. We got to continue to communicate it.”

Asked specifically about recent electoral losses, including the Miami mayoral race in a city that has trended Republican in recent years and sits near Donalds’ district in Collier County, the congressman said the results prove conservatives cannot “rest on their laurels.”

“And trust me, I’m happy he’s president, but you got to keep at it. You’ve got to keep getting people to the polls. That’s what it always comes down to,” Donalds said.

He added that Democrats were highly motivated in contests across Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Miami, noting that the Miami race was decided in a runoff held during the holiday season.

“We have to meet that motivation knowing that when our policies are in place, it’s better for the American people. It’s better for our nation. It’s better for every state in America,” he said.

Democrats reclaimed the Miami mayor’s office for the first time this century.

The last Democratic mayor before the recent win was Xavier Suarez in 1998, who later switched parties and is the father of outgoing Republican Mayor Francis Suarez.

Donalds said the Miami race highlighted logistical challenges campaigns must overcome.

“Specific to Miami, there’s been independent mayors and so on and so forth… One, you had a runoff election a couple weeks before Christmas. Those are very tough elections to turn people out,” he said.

“And they’re always about getting people out to the polls. It’s about messaging. It is about direct contact with the candidate. That’s what we have to be focused on,” he added.

“As long as we’re doing those things, we have the policies, and we have vision.”

Donalds also said he was encouraged by the large number of young attendees at AmericaFest, crediting the event’s growth to the influence of Charlie Kirk.

“I remember, you know, 15 years ago, we would never even thought you could do an event like this… where you had this many high schoolers coming out, college students coming out,” Donalds said.

“And it’s here, it’s been built, and it’s all really about the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. Now the responsibility is making sure we keep that movement going on.”

He criticized recent infighting on the right, calling out what he described as “pettiness and silly divisions.”

“The mission is winning elections,” Donalds said. “You win elections in order to pass your agenda and institutionalize your agenda.”

Looking ahead to Florida politics, Donalds addressed speculation surrounding the race to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis.

While other prominent Republicans have been mentioned as potential contenders, Donalds said his campaign is gaining momentum.

“We’re very blessed to be in the position that I’m in right now,” he said, citing support from President Donald Trump, Sen. Rick Scott, and multiple members of Congress.

“You know, primaries happen. We have that debate, we have that contrast. I firmly believe that when you stack up the records and when you stack up the policies, you stack the vision that I’m gonna be very successful.”

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