Florida Chamber Endorses Byron Donalds as He Unveils Education and Energy Agenda

Overview

• The Florida Chamber of Commerce formally endorsed Byron Donalds on Tuesday, citing his strong voting record with the group and giving the Naples congressman a major private-sector boost in the August Republican primary.
• At the Chamber’s Learners to Earners summit Donalds presented a three-part K-12 and workforce plan that includes a Read to Succeed early-reading push, voluntary personalized success plans starting in middle school, and a Launch Pad program to expand internships and apprenticeships.
• Donalds also outlined an energy strategy that backs more natural gas capacity and emerging nuclear technologies and argued against government caps on utility returns because he said caps would reduce investment in the grid.
• Rival David Jolly responded by proposing a cap on utilities’ allowed return on investment at the national average and accused Donalds of defending last year’s large Florida Power & Light rate increase; reporting from a climate group shows Donalds has received $1.79 million in contributions from major Florida utilities.
• The endorsement and the utility dispute shift the primary debate toward business alignment and regulatory oversight, with the Chamber signal likely to strengthen Donalds’ fundraising and outreach while opponents use rate and donation issues to question his energy positions.