Congressman and Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds (R-FL) is downplaying the arrival of former President Bill Clinton to Florida, indicating the party has moved on from moderate views while speaking on Fox News' The Sunday Briefing with Peter Doocy.
Clinton, who was president from 1993 to 2001, is expected to campaign for Democratic challenger David Jolly in Hollywood on Tuesday.
"I don't think it's going to have much of an impact overall because I will tell you, as I've traveled Florida, you talk to Democrats, conservative Democrats, disaffected Democrats from the Democrat Socialists that now run that party - this isn't Bill Clinton's Democrat Party anymore," Donalds said. "This isn't JFK's Democrat Party anymore. This is now the Democrat Party of Bernie Sanders and AOC. This is the Democrat Party of socialist ideology and socialist policy."
Rep. Donalds also called out the party's left wing for wanting to pack the courts, take over industries, and Medicare for all.
"We already know that does not work and cannot work," Donalds said. "It's never worked in any other country in the world. It won't work here. But they continue to push these crazy agenda items."
Clinton's arrival comes as Florida Democrats face two different avenues - appeal to its moderate base or boost its left wing. Jolly has looked to stay in the middle, something Rep. Donalds has tried to expose.
Donalds also attacked Jolly for welcoming any Democrat to Florida.
"Bill Clinton can come down here all he wants, but it's not going to have any impacts," Donalds said. "The people of Florida know that they want to continue a conservative, common sense government here in our state. It's a reason why they fled New York, they fled Illinois, they fled California, they fled Massachusetts, and so many other parts of America to be a part of the great state of Florida."
