For several years, Florida Congressman Byron Donalds (R), a gubernatorial candidate for 2026, has been a strong advocate for shutting down the Department of Education (DOE). Before Trump was elected for a second term, Rep. Donalds was already co-sponsoring bills to abolish the DOE.
Last week Donalds cheered Trump’s executive action to abolish the DOE. He said the DOE prioritized bureaucracy over student success, and on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, he posted: “It’s time to return education to the states. Florida will ensure its students excel when freed from federal dictates.”
Donalds’ stance should come as no surprise to any voters familiar with his family’s recent history. His wife, Erika Donald’s, has been a prominent advocate for school choice and charter schools in Florida. In 2013, after facing challenges with her second child’s public school experience, she enrolled him in a private institution. She also became involved in establishing Mason Classical Academy, a charter school in Naples, to provide more educational options for families. She also founded the Optima Foundation, which supports the development and management of classical charter schools across Florida. These stances certainly won’t hurt Donald in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary, but if he advances to the 2026 General Election, it will be very interesting to see how undecided independent voters look at his past statements, comments, and bills about involving the DOE.
