Byron Donalds made history Tuesday as Florida’s first Black governor-elect, narrowly defeating Democrat David Jolly to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. The victory stood out as a rare Republican bright spot on a night Democrats made gains across much of the rest of the country.
But the win quickly became a flashpoint over race and politics when MS NOW host Symone Sanders Townsend questioned whether Donalds, a Republican, truly represented Black Americans despite his historic achievement.
“I will say, though, you know, as they say in my community, all kinfolk ain’t skinfolk,” Sanders Townsend said on air, though her phrasing appeared to invert the saying’s traditional meaning. “And what I say and what I mean by that is Byron Donalds is making history, but he is going to continue the political direction that Ron DeSantis is going to continue in Florida.”
Sanders Townsend had earlier acknowledged the significance of the result. “It is a historic win. It is the first time Florida has elected a Black governor,” she said, before pivoting to note that Donalds, in an appearance on “The Breakfast Club” that morning, “sounded similar to Ron DeSantis” on policy questions.
Criticism From Media Watchdog
Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of NewsBusters, pushed back on the comments in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Symone Sanders is trying to argue that Blackness and conservatism are polar opposites, or that being a Black conservative is being a traitor to your race,” Graham said. “She suggests that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been anti-Black in his policies, and so Donalds is going to continue this allegedly anti-Black agenda.”
Graham drew a parallel to the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, during which Thomas described the process as a “high-tech lynching.” Graham argued the underlying message in both cases amounts to a demand that Black Americans conform politically or have their racial identity questioned.
A Recurring Theme for Donalds
This is not the first time Donalds has faced racially charged criticism from political opponents. He previously clashed with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, after remarks she made about his marriage to a white woman resurfaced in 2025. Speaking on “The Joe Pags Show” at the time, Donalds drew a firm line.
“Here’s what I’m going to say first and foremost: don’t talk about my wife. Keep my wife out of this. It ain’t got nothing to do with her,” Donalds said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Donalds for comment on the latest remarks but had not received a response as of publication.
