Commissioner Shares More Information on Endorsement for Byron Donalds After Moving Away From David Jolly's Campaign
On September 5, Gainesville City Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut appeared on the Good News Report with Pamela D. Marshall to talk more about her endorsement of Republican Byron Donalds for Florida governor. Just a few months ago she was supporting David Jolly’s campaign for governor.
Chestnut is the former chair of the Alachua County Democrats.
Chestnut’s support for Donalds, a conservative backed by President Donald Trump, ignited a wave of criticism and disbelief from Democrats in Gainesville.
Chestnut said she had “no idea so many people were interested in how” she votes.
Marshall asked Chestnut if she contacted any Alachua County Democrats about her endorsement, and she said she did not.
“Many people gave their lives so I would have the right to vote, the right to make a decision” Chestnut said. “My vote is my voice, and my voice in this instance is for Byron Donalds. I’m a lifelong Democrat. I will remain a Democrat. I do not support Donald Trump. I support Byron Donalds.”
Donalds frequently touts Trump’s endorsement as part of his campaign. Marshall brought up the connection and how Donalds has called Trump “daddy” before asking Chestnut if that concerns her at all.
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“No… not at all,” said Chestnut. She said she believes Donalds is his “own person” and that “once elected people will see that.”
Marshall brought up how Chestnut invited her to an event with Jolly and asked what happened.
Chestnut acknowledged that in May, before Jolly picked Gwen Graham as lieutenant governor, she co-sponsored a fundraiser with him. “He made a decision about his running mate that disturbed me greatly,” she said.
Chestnut said that she called Jolly with her concerns and told him he could’ve picked a Black or Hispanic running mate. “You chose to go backwards,” she recalled telling Jolly. “Not forward. Going with a Black candidate or a Hispanic candidate would have done very much to pull the state together, to pull the voting patterns together. We need to be able to reach out and recapture the votes of the Black males. We need to be able to recapture the votes of Hispanics. An all-white ticket, I don’t think will achieve that goal. It needed some diversity and he did not afford himself of that opportunity.”
Chestnut said that Jolly told her he reached out to Black members of the legislature. Chestnut said he only asked those who are in high-leadership positions and would certainly decline his proposal. Chestnut said that after this, she still made attempts to involve herself with Jolly’s campaign but nobody reached back out to her. “Well, I said, ‘Lord, if they're going to treat me this way now, what am I going to be treated like in the future?’”
Chestnut said that her Republican friends told her she should have a conversation with Byron Donalds and she did. “The rest is history,” she said.
Chestnut said she told Jolly it would’ve been better to pick someone from a local government with property taxes being on the ballot.
Chestnut said the Democratic Party lacks respect for Black voters. Marshall asked Chestnut what she has to say in response to African-Americans who feel betrayed by her endorsement. Chestnut replied that her vote is her own and encouraged them to also vote. She recommended inviting Donalds into the room for a conversation and said she was “impressed” when she did. Chestnut said that Donalds listened to her when they had a conversation and that Jolly never asked for her opinion on issues.
“I'm the same person today that I was yesterday,” said Chestnut. “The person who's fighting to help the disenfranchised, to help the homeless, to stick up for people's rights, to work on affordable housing. None of those things have changed. I'm still a Democrat out here on the battlefield for people and I will continue to do that.”
