Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told Newsmax on Wednesday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis deserves "full credit" for interrupting his campaign for the White House by returning to the state after Hurricane Idalia made landfall.
"My heart and my prayers go out to the people in the Big Bend area of Florida [and] southern Georgia," Donalds told "Newsline." "They're taking the brunt of the storm right now. I know what that's like, having gone through Hurricane Ian in my district in southwest Florida.
"I just want to make sure everybody stays safe, and they follow all the advisories that are coming through."
Donalds said it's no surprise DeSantis interrupted his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination to return to Florida.
"When Hurricane Ian came through last year, the work he’s doing with Idalia, this is what he does," said Donalds, who supports former President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination. "You know, he does a very good job doing that. So, I give him full credit.
"The campaign trail isn't going anywhere. It’ll be there when the storm passes, but recovery efforts are going to take some time, especially when power lines go down."
Donalds said: "There's flooding in certain areas," and officials have to look at the "first 24-48 hours after the storm goes through, that's when you're going to really get an understanding of how much work needs to be done."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.