<p>Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on Thursday addressed his recent decision to distance himself from President Donald Trump during his gubernatorial campaign in Florida, stating that media interpretations of his actions were exaggerated.</p>
<p>Last month, Donalds, who is competing against Democrat David Jolly in a closely contested race, removed eight mentions of Trump from his campaign website's homepage. He also eliminated a priority titled "Enact the Trump Agenda" and relocated a photo with Trump to a less prominent section of the site, according to an analysis by the Miami Herald. This decision drew attention due to the competitive nature of the election, where both candidates are seeking to attract centrist voters.</p>
<p>Trump responded to the changes by labeling the reports as a "fake story" and expressed confidence in Donalds, stating that he would be a "fantastic Governor." When questioned about the website modifications, Donalds characterized the media coverage as a "misconception," explaining that the adjustments were part of a planned strategy to focus on Florida residents. He mentioned this during an appearance on Politico's The Conversation podcast.</p>
<p>“When I looked at the final run of the website, we looked through it all. I looked through every tab, saw where the president was still on the website before it went live. I think what you had are some news outlets in Florida who were trying to come out with a hot take,” Donalds said. “He was always there.”</p>
<p>He added that the campaign aimed to ensure that undecided voters received information centered on their concerns.</p>
<p>During the interview, Donalds reiterated his differences with Trump on certain policy issues, including data centers and artificial intelligence, while expressing support for the president on other matters, such as the Iran war. He emphasized his intention to maintain an independent perspective in the gubernatorial race, stating, “I’m allowed to have my own viewpoint about how we’re gonna govern Florida.”</p>
<p>“I’m a supporter of the president. He’s a supporter of mine,” Donalds said. “But I think the misconception is, people think that the president just wants ‘yes’ men. That’s actually not true … I think there’s times where, yes, the president and I, we don’t agree on policy, and that’s fine.”</p>
<p>Polling data presents a mixed view of the Florida race, with Jolly attempting to flip the seat blue and become the first Democrat to lead the state since 1999. Some surveys indicate a tied race or a slight lead for Jolly, while others show Donalds ahead.</p>
<p>Despite the competitive polling, Jolly faces challenges, as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) won reelection in 2022 by a significant 20-point margin.</p>
<p>As Democrats see a potential opportunity in a Republican stronghold, Donalds released two new advertisements earlier this week highlighting his endorsements from Trump and DeSantis.</p>
<p>In terms of fundraising, Donalds has maintained a substantial lead over Jolly, having raised $134.4 million and spent $91.7 million across his campaign account and political committee, while Jolly raised $16.7 million and spent $11.2 million.</p>