newYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Florida Republican Congressman Byron Donalds said Sunday that the best response to conservatives’ recent electoral setbacks is to act and focus on establishing their vision for the country and achieving tangible results for the American people.
“It’s about what you actually accomplish,” said Donalds, who spoke earlier in the day about gridlock in Congress and the failure to pass some principles of the conservative agenda through a Republican-majority Legislature. “And I think that’s part of the message here at Turning Point.”
“Look, we have disagreements, and that’s all well and good. We have to focus on the task in front of us. We have to focus on what will actually bring voters to the polls and make sure they turn out. It’s about having a set of positions, a philosophy, a vision for the future of this country. We have that vision. And we have to continue to communicate it.”
Vivek Ramaswamy turns to young conservatives to shape the movement’s next phase, and analyzes the 2026 races
Rep. Byron Donalds, Republican of Florida, speaks in Hollywood, Florida. (Diaz/Getty Images)
Asked about electoral losses in recent months — including in Trump-friendly Miami; Not far from Donald’s in Collier County — the congressman said it shows conservatives can’t “rest on their laurels” as they successfully elected Trump and ousted far-left rule.
“And trust me, I’m glad he’s president, but you’ve got to keep at it. You’ve got to keep getting people to go to the polls. That’s what always happens,” he said, adding that Democrats were eager to get involved in races like Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Miami — and that the latter was notably a runoff in the middle of the holiday season.
“We have to meet that impulse knowing that when our policies are implemented, it’s better for the American people. It’s better for our nation. It’s better for every state in America.”
David Marcus: Erica Kirk is the mother conservatives need
In Miami, Democrats regained the mayor’s office for the first time this century, while the previous Democratic mayor in 1998 – Xavier Suarez – later became a Republican and is the father of outgoing Republican Francis Suarez.
Donalds suggested that the city race provided lessons for nationwide competitions.
“In Miami specifically, there were independent mayors and so on. First, we had a runoff election two weeks before Christmas. It’s a very difficult election to get people out. That’s why we have to focus on the substance of the campaigns,” he said.
Vance offers a post-election reality check, asserting that the GOP must make life more affordable or fail in 2026
“It’s always about getting people to the polls. It’s about messaging. It’s about direct communication with the candidate. That’s what we should be focusing on. As long as we do these things, we have the policies, we have the vision.”
In this regard, Donalds said that he was encouraged by the thousands of young people who attended AmericaFest.
“I remember, you know, 15 years ago, we never thought you could have an event like this… where there were this many high school students coming out, college students coming out,” he joked.
Tim Scott tells MAGA voters Trump ‘on the ballot’ as GOP fights to increase Senate majority in 2026
“It was built here, and it’s all about the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. The responsibility now is to make sure that movement continues.”
In this regard, he criticized the “frivolity and ridiculous divisions” that have emerged recently, repeating that conservatives must “focus on the task.”
“The mission is to win elections. You win elections in order to pass your agenda and institutionalize your agenda.”
Charlie Kirk Ally Warns GOP Not to Take Generation Z for Granted, Calls for ‘Sense of Urgency’
Although he is considered the front-runner in his race – to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis – there have been suggestions that other big-name Republicans in Florida could jump in the race and perhaps force voters to choose a side in the primary.
Asked about that possibility, Donalds said his race is going “very well” and that he has received important support from Trump, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and several senior members of Congress from the Sunshine State and beyond.
Click here to download the FOX NEWS app
“We’re very fortunate to be in the position I’m in now… You know, primaries happen. We have this debate, we have this disparity. I firmly believe that when you stack records and when you stack policies, you stack the vision that I’m going to be very successful,” he said.
“And then the focus will be on reuniting our party once the primaries are over to focus on victory — that’s the recipe for success.”
Fox News Digital’s Paul Mitchell Picasso contributed to this report.