BEEN IN 22 YEARS WHICH COULD
SMALL A RECESSION.
ANYWAY, LET’S MOVE ON.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, FLORIDA
ADDED 36,000 JOBS DURING THE
MONTH OF OCTOBER.
ITS PRIVATE SECTOR SAW 35,000
JOBS ADDED.
THAT, BY THE WAY, MAKES IT THE
30TH CONSECUTIVE MONTH OF JOB
GAINS FOR THE STATE.
PRETTY DARN IMPRESSIVE.
CONGRESS BYRON DONALDS JOINS ME
NOW.
CONGRESSMAN, FLORIDA IS SHOWING
ECONOMIC RESILIENCY, I THINK
THAT’S THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT,
DESPITE THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE
IAN, NICOLE.
HOW IS YOUR STATE DOING IT?
>> WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, HURRICANES WERE
DEVASTATING TO SOME OF OUR
AREAS, BUT OUR ECONOMIC CLIMATE
CONTINUES TO BE THE SOUNDEST IN
THE COUNTRY.
IF NUMBER ONE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE
PRETTY GOOD, CONSISTENT
REGULATORY POLICIES IN OUR
STATE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE A DESTINATION
SATE.
NUMBER THREE -- STATE, NUMBER
THREE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
THERE IS A CONSISTENCY IN HOW WE
GOVERN.
AND SO BUSINESS OWNERS WHEN THEY
MOVE HERE, THEY KNOW THERE’S NOT
GOING TO BE A SHIFTING IN
GOVERNMENTAL, ECONOMIC
REGULATORY POLICIES THAT ARE
GOING TO CREATE ISSUES.
WE ARE CONSISTENT IN FLORIDA,
HAVE BEEN THAT WAY FOR QUITE
SOME TIME.
THAT’S WHY OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES
TO GROW AND LIVE EVEN WITH SOME
OF THE IMBALANCES ACROSS THE
REST OF THE UNITED STATES.
ASHLEY: AND, YOU KNOW, BOTTOM
LINE IS IT’S WORKING, AND I
THINK THAT’S WHY YOU’VE SEEN THE
POPULATION GROW SO QUICKLY.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ESCAPING BLUE
STATES WHERE THEY COME HERE AND
SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, THE TAXES
ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER, AND IT’S
A VERY BUSINESS-FRIENDLY
ENVIRONMENT.
>> OH, YEAH, 100%.
FIRST OF ALL, NO STATE INCOME
TAX.
I KNOW MY FORMER COLLEAGUES IN
THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND OUR
CURRENT GOVERNOR, WE’RE NOT
CREATING AN INCOME TAX IN
FLORIDA.
THAT’S JUST NOT ON THE TABLE,
NOT IN THE CARDS.
NURPLE TWO, WE DON’T HAVE REALLY
TERRIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.
LIKE, COMPARE US TO CALIFORNIA
WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES,
NUMBER ONE, ARE INSANE AND,
NUMBER TWO, THEY TRY TO CHANGE
THEM AND OUTDO EACH OTHER EVERY
LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN HERE.
AND ALSO WE HAVE A PORT SYSTEM,
YOU CAN GET TO ANYWHERE AROUND
THE WORLD.
IT’S A REALLY GREAT ENVIRONMENT
FOR DOING BUSINESS, FOR RAISING
YOUR FAMILIES AND ALSO RETIRING.
THAT’S WHY OUR STATE CONTINUES
TO GROW LIKE IT DOES.
ASHLEY: IT REALLY DOES.
LET’S MOVE ON, CONGRESSMAN.
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE
IS BUILDING UP HIS POLITICAL
STAFF.
IT’S THE LATEST INDICATION THAT
PERHAPS HE IS PREPARING TO RUN
IN 2024.
DO YOU THINK PENCE WOULD MAKE A
GOOD CANDIDATE?
PLEASURE.
>> LOOK, I THINK, OBVIOUSLY,
MIKE PENCE HAS BEEN IN THE GAME
A LONG TIME, FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT TO THE UNITED STATES.
I THINK HE WOULD MAKE A GOOD
CANDIDATE.
LOOK, I ALWAYS FEEL COMPETITION
IS HEALTHY, SO IT APPEARS THAT
HE’S GEARING UP.
WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE
REST OF THE FIELD, IN THE REST
OF FIELD MATERIALIZES.
THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN NOW AND
THEN, BUT LET ME BE VERY CLEAR,
DONALD TRUMP’S TILL -- STILL THE
LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE.
AS IT STANDS TODAY AND PROBABLY
FOR QUITE SOME TIME, HE’S THE
NUMBER ONE GUY SEEKING THE
NOMINATION.
PLEASURE.
[LAUGHTER]
ASHLEY: AH, THOSE ON THE OTHER
SIDE, BYRON, WILL SAY, WELL, IT
JUST SHOWS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
IS SPLIT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW,
DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTERS AND
PERHAPS PEOPLE WHO ARE A LITTLE
MORE MODERATE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> I WOULD SAY THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE NEEDS TO MIND HAIR OWN
BUSINESS.
LET’S -- THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
LET’S BE VERY CLEAR --
[LAUGHTER]
FOR REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND EVEN
INDEPENDENT VOTERS, HEIR GOING
TO HATE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE
NO MATTER WHO THAT PERSON IS.
SO FOR ALL THE PEOPLE SAYING
THERE’S TOO MUCH BAGGAGE, GET
THAT OUT YOUR MIND.
THERE WAS BUSH DERANGEMENT
SYNDROME.
REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID TO MITT
ROMNEY.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT GOING TO
LIKE OUR NOMINEE, SO I DON’T GET
INTO THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WHOEVER’S RUNNING FOR THE WHITE
HOUSE, OBVIOUSLY, DONALD TRUMP
IS RUNNING, JUST DEMONSTRATE
WHAT YOUR AGENDA IS.
WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT IS FROM
IF DONALD TRUMP, WHAT HE’S GOING
TO DO.
JUST DEMONSTRATE WHAT YOUR
AGENDA IS AND SEE IF REPUBLICAN
VOTERS SUPPORT IT.
THAT’S IT.
ASHLEY: ALL RIGHT.
NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
COIN, PRESIDENT BIDEN APPARENTLY
IS PLANNING TO USE THE HOLIDAY
BREAK TO DECIDE IF HE WANTS TO
RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2024.
WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY
THAT IF HE’S GOING TO RUN FOR
PRESIDENT AGAIN, AS A
REPUBLICAN, OH, PLEASE.
BRING IT ON.
LIKE, I’M EXCITED ABOUT THAT
ONE.
[LAUGHTER]
BECAUSE HE’S BEEN BY FAR THE
WORST PRESIDENT THE COUNTRY HAS
SEEN IN A HUNDRED YEARS, AND IF
I SIT DOWN AND AUDIOCASSETTE TO
REAL HISTORIANS -- TALK TO REAL
HISTORIANS, HE’S PROBABLY THE
WORST PRESIDENT WE’VE EVER HAD.
NUMBER TWO, I THINK THAT IN
TERMS OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY, AND
I’M GOING TO GIVE THE DEMOCRATS
SOME FREE ADVICE.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
DON’T EMBRACE TERM LIMITS, WHEN
YOU DON’T HAVE CHANGEOVERS IN
LEADERSHIP.
YOU GET STEAL.
THEY HAVE -- STALE.
THEY HAVE A VERY THIN BENCH.
WHO ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO RUN,
GAVIN NEWSOM, KAMALA HARRIS,
PETE BUTTIGIEG?
COME ON.
HE’S GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION
WITH HIS FAMILY, WE SEE WHERE HE
GOES FROM THERE.
I ACTUALLY DO HOPE THAT HIS
HEALTH IS OKAY, BECAUSE NOBODY
WANTS ANYBODY TO BE ILL OR
SICKLY, HAVE THEIR HEALTH FAIL
HEM.
IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S A TRAGEDY
FOR EVERYBODY.
I HOPE HIS HEALTH IS WELL, BUT
WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS, THE
MAN MUST BE DEFEATED.
HE’S A HERBAL PRESIDENT.
ASH -- TERRIBLE PRESIDENT.
ASHLEY: WELL, WE’LL LEAVE IT
RIGHT THERE.
FIRED UP TODAY, CONGRESSMAN
BYRON DONALDS.