Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) defended hosting an in-person town hall, saying he disagrees with Republican leadership discouraging them.
Donalds’s Monday town hall is the latest example of Republican town halls going sideways as protesters have increasingly infiltrated the meetings to shout down lawmakers. As a result, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC) told members that they should cease holding in-person town halls to stop encouraging such actors.
“I heard what Republican leadership said, but I disagree. I think every member should be holding town halls in person with their constituents,” Donalds said Thursday on Fox Business’s Varney & Co. “Yeah, Democrats are more organized on the ground than they ever have been. I’ve been holding town halls for five years — never saw this many Democrats come to any one of my town halls, but they want to show up now. That’s OK. That’s part of the process.”
As Donalds spoke to his constituents at the town hall, some audience members booed his defense of the Department of Government Efficiency. At first he told the crowd “you can boo if you want to.” More audience members booed his further response to the question when he suggested that former President Barack Obama wanted to accomplish what DOGE had. Further booing followed when he claimed DOGE had the approval of the president to provide oversight into Social Security.
“Don’t boo,” Donalds said. “Are you ready? The previous president, [former President Joe Biden].”
This only prompted more booing. At another point, a protester chanting “Free Palestine” was kicked out.
“If you want to come in, you want to make a scene, yell ‘Boo,’ we’re going to kick you out. And at the beginning of the town hall, we were very clear with people. Please be respectful,” Donalds said. “Let people hear the answers, hear the questions. If you want to disagree, disagree. Let’s be civil, let’s be orderly. Some people chose not to; we had to kick them out. The next time I do a town hall, if they choose to be unruly, I will kick them out again.”
Donalds suggested on Fox News’s Hannity earlier this week that other Republican lawmakers follow suit and confront local protesters “with the facts,” “reality,” and “common sense.”
“ALL REPUBLICAN MEMBERS should hold Town Halls to confront them DIRECTLY,” Donalds captioned the clip of himself on X.
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As the 2026 election approaches, Donalds is campaigning to become Florida’s governor. President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) are among those who have endorsed Donalds.
The Florida representative still lacks a key endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who has reached his term limit. This perceived silence is stirring up rumors that his wife, Casey DeSantis, will join the race.
