Naples congressman gets prime time slot at opening night of Republican National Convention

MILWAUKEE — U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds got a prime time speaking slot during Monday's opening night at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The Naples congressman followed a Capitol Hill colleague, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in the line-up.

The theme for the evening was “Make America Wealthy Once Again.” Speakers focused on economic growth and inflation. Donalds added education as well.

Donalds told how his mother made sure he got an education while chiding President Joe Biden for, he said, sending his children to private schools but then selling out to the national teachers union in opposing the same opportunity for children from families who can't afford those schools.

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"Every child deserves that chance," he said. "And in November, when Donald Trump is elected the 47th president, we will make sure that all of America's children get that chance."

Donalds spoke about "growing up poor" and "feeling the "pain of high food prices, high energy prices and housing costs." Donalds blamed the Biden administration for "massive inflation" — the highest spike in consumer prices in 40 years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. inflation rate fell to 3 percent in June from a high of 9.59 percent in 2022, prompting speculation among economists that the Federal Reserve may begin lowering its benchmark interest rate as early as this fall.

Florida Congressman Byron Donalds attempts to blame Biden for high inflation

Biden has said the price hikes are the result of post-COVID, global economic disruptions and has cited figures pointing to a leveling off of consumer prices from the rapid increases of the past few years. He also has said U.S. corporations are profiting at the expense of consumers via "shrinkflation," raising the costs of items while reducing the contents of those same goods.

Donalds, however, faulted the Democratic administration for large spending packages the past few years that he said resulted in the inflationary spiral. He said that as a member of congressional committees he and other Republicans warned the administration their spending would prove costly.

"We told Joe Biden that his so-called America Rescue Plan was going to cause inflation," Donalds said. "The Biden-Harris administration told us not to worry, but I knew better."

He added that now the "evidence is in" from grocery store shelves to "for sale" signs on homes.

"This shows that we were right, that Joe Biden was wrong and that you, the American people, are paying the price," he said.

After Trump wins the November election, Donalds said "all this will change" as the economy will "move again," putting more money in Americans pockets" providing children with a future.

Donalds won a congressional seat in the Southwest Florida district in 2020. He previously served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Republican National Convention: What Florida Byron Donalds said in speech