In a recent spat between Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Donalds responded to Bush’s “blatantly outrageous” statements belittling his nomination for House Speaker as a “prop”. Donalds, the first House Republican to flip sides in the GOP deadlock over the speaker’s gavel, argued that if Bush had grievances with his policies, she should debate him rather than resorting to low blows.
The feud stems from a tweet from Cori Bush responding to a Republican defector praising Donalds for his nomination for House Speaker. In the tweet, Bush stated that Donalds was “not a historic candidate for Speaker. He is a prop.” This statement incited a response from Donalds, who argued that Bush’s statement was “blatantly outrageous” and that if she had policy grievances with him, she should debate him rather than resorting to such low blows.
.@CoriBush, if you see a Black man rise, let the man rise even if you disagree with them.
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) January 5, 2023
I’d be happy to sit down and debate our policies one on one whenever you’d like.
As a Black man to a Black woman, I’d never do that to you. It’s a shame you did it to me. pic.twitter.com/ojpEHLhSI4
Votes are expected to continue until a speaker is selected, with some members of Congress suggesting a deal between the Republicans and Democrats to end the stalemate. However, Donalds believes firmly in the importance of debate, and has expressed his frustration that Bush has not engaged in a discussion of his policies and instead resorted to personal attacks.
Members of Congress have praised and criticized Donalds’ nomination, while Donalds himself has stayed steadfast in his determination to discuss and confront substantive concerns rather than get into trivial disagreements. His response to Bush’s tweet demonstrates his dedication to civil discourse and his resolve to stick to his guns in the face of opposition.
