Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) has condemned MSNBC host Joy Reid's recent remarks about him, calling them an attempt to tear him down for his success as a Black conservative. Reid had referred to Donalds as the "Black guy" that Republicans use as "fake proof" of Black support for their party.
Joy Reid's latest verbal attack on a prominent Black conservative has drawn sharp criticism from Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who labeled her comments as an attempt to diminish his success as a Black conservative. Reid, known for her vitriol against African-Americans who hold different political views than she does, has a history of making racially insensitive remarks about Black Republicans like Donalds and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
In her latest attack, Reid referred to Donalds as the "Black guy" that Republicans use as "fake proof" of Black support for their party, prompting Donalds to respond on Fox News Sunday by labeling her comments as an attempt to tear him down for his success. "I find Joy's comments to be nothing more than crabs in a barrel," Donalds told Fox News Sunday's Shannon Bream. "Just because I have a different viewpoint, different way of looking at the world, different politics, now, all of a sudden, I'm being used. You can make an argument that MSNBC is using her."
Donalds' comments come in response to Reid's long history of making racially insensitive remarks about Black Republicans. In 2023, when Donalds was nominated as House Speaker, Reid said it was a cynical effort to make the party seem more diverse, quipping, "Any Black guy will do." In 2021, she said Scott's presence at a press conference about GOP opposition to a minimum wage mandate was merely to provide a "patina of diversity." The previous year, Reid referred to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as "Uncle Clarence," a clear reference to the "Uncle Tom" slur against Blacks viewed as too deferential to Whites.
Donalds, who is one of only two Black Republicans in the House of Representatives, has been a vocal critic of Reid's rhetoric, which he says is divisive and harmful to the Black community. "When you make comments like 'crabs in a barrel' or 'Uncle Clarence,' you're trying to diminish the accomplishments of Black people who have achieved success through hard work and determination," Donalds said. "It's a shame that Joy Reid would stoop to such low levels to attack me and other Black conservatives."
Donalds' comments have been echoed by other Black conservatives, who have condemned Reid's rhetoric as racist and divisive. "Joy Reid's comments are nothing more than an attempt to silence Black voices that don't conform to her narrow worldview," said Candace Owens, a conservative commentator. "She is trying to create a narrative that Black conservatives are not legitimate or that they are not real Black people."
Despite Reid's attacks, Donalds remains a popular figure among Black conservatives, who appreciate his willingness to speak out against the left's racial rhetoric. Donalds has been a vocal critic of the Black Lives Matter movement, which he says has been hijacked by radical activists who are more interested in dividing Americans than in addressing the real problems facing the Black community.
Donalds has also been a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, who he says is the only politician who has truly listened to the concerns of Black Americans. "President Trump is not afraid to talk about the real issues facing the Black community, such as crime, poverty, and education," Donalds said. "He is the only politician who has a plan to address these issues and make a real difference in the lives of Black Americans."
Donalds' popularity among Black conservatives is a sign that the left's racial rhetoric is losing its appeal among African-Americans. Black voters are increasingly tired of being told that they must vote for Democrats in order to be considered "real" Black people. They are also tired of being used as pawns in the left's political games.
Donalds' success as a Black conservative is a reminder that the Black vote is not monolithic. Black voters are just as diverse in their political views as any other group of Americans. The left's attempt to paint all Black voters as monolithic is simply not true.
