July 2, 2021 by David Silverberg
Cindy Banyai (Photo: Banyai for Congress Campaign)
As Hurricane Elsa churns her way across the Atlantic Ocean, storms of a different kind are brewing in Southwest Florida.
Even though the 2022 election is a year and a half away the wind is picking up as Cindy Banyai, last year’s Democratic candidate for the 19th Congressional District, formally launches her campaign against Rep. Byron Donalds (R-19-Fla.).
Banyai is launching the campaign over the first 12 days of July with a variety of events.
Upcoming events to date are:
July 3rd: Save Our Water Rally - 9 am-10 am - Fowler Street Bridge, Fort Myers
July 4th:Cape Coral’s Red, White, and Boom - 5 pm-10 pm
July 9th: a day in the life of Dr. Cindy Banyai - VIA FB LIVE
First endorsement
On June 21st Banyai announced the first endorsement of the campaign when she was endorsed by No Dem Left Behind, a Democratic organization that says it “has learned from experience that the most conservative districts in the country have Democratic candidates popular enough to beat a Republican opponent.”
The No Dem Left Behind logo.
The organization stated it was endorsing Banyai because she “is ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work, to be the voice in Washington D.C. for the people of her community.”
“This latest endorsement is a big step towards helping us change the narrative in Florida,” stated Banyai.
Donalds marks six months in office
July 3rd marks six months that Rep. Byron Donalds (R-19-Fla.) has been in office.
In his most recent vote, Donalds voted against the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act (House Resolution (HR) 3684), which provides $550 billion for infrastructure and transportation improvements.
The bill passed the House yesterday, July 1, by a vote of 221 to 201.
In addition to Donalds, Southwest Florida’s other representatives, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-25-Fla.) and Greg Steube (R-17-Fla.) voted against the bill.
Surfside collapse
In addition to voting against improving America’s infrastructure, Donalds took the time to attack Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm for daring to suggest that climate change might have had a role in the collapse of part of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida.
“I was appalled by [Jennifer Granholm’s] recent comments blaming sea level rise & climate change for the tragedy that has struck Surfside, FL. Stop using this disaster to fuel your political agenda,” he tweeted.
What was the terrible thing Granholm said?
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
“We know that the seas are rising,” she said in an interview on CNN. “We know that we’re losing inches and inches of beach, it’s not just in Florida but all around. This is a phenomena that will continue. We’ll have to wait and see what the analysis is for this building but the issue about resiliency and making sure we adapt to this changing climate, that’s going to mean levees are going to have to be built, that means that sea walls need to be built, infrastructure needs to be built.”
Donalds was not unique in his ostentatious outrage over these comments. Conservative media are piling on—this in the wake of the condo collapse, the unprecedented heat dome over much of the country and the approach of Hurricane Elsa in the Atlantic.
It’s worth noting that while Donalds sent “thoughts and prayers” to the victims in Surfside, he voted against improving American infrastructure for the future.
Unfilled numbers
On June 24th, Donalds and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Unnecessary Agency Regulations Reduction Act (HR 4132) “to consolidate or repeal unnecessary agency major rules, and for other purposes.”
However, in what has been a pattern, Donalds did not submit any text for the bill, just a name and number.
This means that the real work of legislation has not been done and there is no content, no thought and no substance to it. Nonetheless, Donalds was able to boast of a name and number in a press release.
A happy July 4th to all.
Liberty lives in light
© 2021 by David Silverberg