Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) recently spoke to Florida business leaders at an exclusive event of the Economic Club of Miami.
During the event, which featured dozens of CEOs, venture capitalists, tech pioneers, and other business leaders, Donalds shared his vision for Florida’s economy and the economic policies he would pursue were he elected as Florida’s next governor.
Broadly, Donalds emphasized the need to ensure Florida’s state government harnesses the opportunities and shifting dynamics of the present economy, dynamics and opportunities he claimed he would capitalize upon as Florida governor.
“The future of Florida is really about the vision from Tallahassee,” said Donalds. “Is Tallahassee going to think about Florida 15 to 20 years into the future? Or is Tallahassee going to think about just Florida today?”
Thanking Florida’s current Governor Ron DeSantis for having done a “great job,” Donalds urged Floridians to think of “what’s next.”
Donalds is leading the latest polls to become Florida’s next governor.
Speaking on Florida’s economic future, Donalds explained he intends to make Florida the “financial hub of the world” through smart governance and visionary leadership.
Donalds further spoke at length on specific economic issues affecting Floridians, including international trade and tariffs, regulatory and tax reform, energy, and technology.
On tariffs, Donalds claimed they were a needed tool for “resetting the dynamics of global trade” to the benefit of the US and to enforce routinely violated international trade agreements.
“The US does not have the luxury of ignoring the enforcement of trade deals,” continued Donalds.
Donalds warned, however, that the benefits of tariffs in restarting America’s manufacturing sector could be hindered if burdensome economic and labor regulations are not eliminated.
“We have to be realistic about what it actually costs and takes to manufacture a product,” cautioned Donalds.
Donalds also pledged to be a tech-friendly governor, contrasting his cooperation with President Donald Trump’s deregulatory efforts in the tech industry with former President Joe Biden’s hostile approach to innovative technologies.
“We need to have a regulatory sandbox for quantum computing and AI,” proposed Donalds.
Regulatory sandboxes have recently been implemented by several states to create a de-regulated and liability-free environment for companies to test and develop new technologies and products.
On education, Donalds stressed the need to improve students’ proficiency in the fundamentals of math, reading, and writing by leveraging AI and further supporting successful charter and private education and school choice programs.
“We have to raise the standards,” argued Donalds. “You could have personalized AI tutoring models for a child as a support system for tutors and parents.”
