On a night when Florida made a quiet piece of history by electing its first Black governor, a broadcaster's offhand proverb about kinship and identity opened a familiar old argument about who gets to speak for whom. Byron Donalds, who narrowly defeated Democrat David Jolly and will succeed the term-limited Ron DeSantis, now finds his historic moment entangled with questions about whether his politics are a betrayal of his race. How he answers, or chooses not to, will say as much about the country's habits of judging people by their color as it does about the remark itself.
MS NOW Host's 'Kinfolk' Remark on Byron Donalds Draws Criticism After Florida Win
It is a historic win... all kinfolk ain't skinfolk
Mark
Sanders Townsend did call the win historic. So why is her comment the story?
Mimi
Because of what came after. She said it was the first time Florida elected a Black governor, then used the "kinfolk" line to say he'd continue DeSantis's direction.
Luke
Worth noting the reporting says she "appeared to" mean the phrase the other way around. That's Fox's reading of her wording, not something she has confirmed.
Mark
What is Tim Graham's argument?
Mimi
That she's tying Black identity to political conformity, and treating conservatism as a kind of racial betrayal.
Luke
That's his interpretation. She said Donalds would continue DeSantis's agenda. The claim that she called DeSantis anti-Black is Graham's inference, not her words.
Mark
He also brought up Clarence Thomas.
Mimi
Yes, the 1991 hearings and the "high-tech lynching" phrase. He's placing this in a longer history of criticism aimed at Black conservatives.
Luke
It's a comparison from an advocacy group's media analyst. It isn't a finding.
Mark
And the Jasmine Crockett detail?
Mimi
It shows Donalds has faced identity-based attacks before, and that he asked people to leave his wife out of it.
Luke
Different incident, different speaker. And we don't yet have Donalds' response to this one.
Il Polso
- A historic election night turns sharp when a television host questions whether the governor-elect is truly kin to Black Americans.
- A proverb about kinfolk and skinfolk, twisted in delivery, sets off a charged debate over race and political loyalty.
- A conservative media critic compares the remarks to the treatment of Clarence Thomas, pressing the charge that Black conservatives are being policed.
- Donalds has yet to respond to requests for comment, leaving the backlash to build while the matter remains unresolved.
On a night when Florida made a quiet piece of history by electing its first Black governor, a broadcaster's offhand proverb about kinship and identity opened a familiar old argument about who gets to speak for whom. Byron Donalds, who narrowly defeated Democrat David Jolly and will succeed the term-limited Ron DeSantis, now finds his historic moment entangled with questions about whether his politics are a betrayal of his race. How he answers, or chooses not to, will say as much about the country's habits of judging people by their color as it does about the remark itself.
On Tuesday, as returns rolled in from Florida, MS NOW host Symone Sanders Townsend marked a milestone on air: Republican Byron Donalds had narrowly beaten Democrat David Jolly to become the state's first Black governor. He will succeed Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited, and the moment was one many had waited a long time to see.
Sanders Townsend acknowledged the history, but quickly turned to his politics. She pointed to his appearance that morning on "The Breakfast Club," where she said he sounded much like DeSantis on the issues. Then came the line that drew attention: "all kinfolk ain't skinfolk." Fox News noted that she seemed to have the saying reversed from its usual form. Her point, she explained, was that Donalds was making history while carrying forward DeSantis's direction in Florida.
Tim Graham of the Media Research Center and NewsBusters called the remark an argument that Blackness and conservatism are opposites, and that a Black conservative is somehow betraying his race. He compared it to the fight over Clarence Thomas in 1991, arguing that the message is really about demanding political conformity from Black Americans.
The result was a night that otherwise brought bad news for Republicans, with Democrats gaining ground across the country and Florida standing out as a bright spot. Donalds has faced questions about his race and family before; in 2025, Rep. Jasmine Crockett criticized his marriage to a White woman, and he shot back that his wife had nothing to do with the debate. As of publication, Donalds had not answered Fox News Digital's request for comment, and it remains unclear whether he or Sanders Townsend will say more.
On Tuesday, as results came in from Florida, MS NOW host Symone Sanders Townsend spoke about the state's new governor-elect, Republican Byron Donalds. He had narrowly beaten Democrat David Jolly, and he will succeed the term-limited Ron DeSantis. Florida had never before elected a Black governor.
Sanders Townsend acknowledged that on air. "It is a historic win," she said, and she noted it was the first time Florida had chosen a Black governor. Then she turned to his politics. She said Donalds had appeared on "The Breakfast Club" that morning, was asked about a range of policies, and sounded similar to DeSantis.
She followed with a saying: "all kinfolk ain't skinfolk." Fox News reported that she appeared to have the phrase reversed from its usual form. She went on to explain what she meant: Donalds is making history, she said, but he will continue the political direction DeSantis has set in Florida.
The remark drew criticism from Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of NewsBusters. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Graham said Sanders Townsend was arguing that Blackness and conservatism are polar opposites, or that being a Black conservative amounts to betraying one's race. He also said she was suggesting DeSantis had been anti-Black in his policies, and that Donalds would therefore carry on an allegedly anti-Black agenda.
Graham drew a comparison to the treatment of Clarence Thomas during his contentious 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings, when Thomas called the proceedings a "high-tech lynching." In Graham's view, the underlying message demands political conformity from Black Americans.
Donalds' win came on a night that otherwise went badly for Republicans. Fox News described Florida as a rare bright spot for the party, as Democrats swept into power elsewhere across the country.
This is not the first time Donalds' racial identity or personal life has become part of a political fight. In remarks that resurfaced in 2025, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, criticized his marriage to a White woman. Donalds responded on "The Joe Pags Show." "Don't talk about my wife," he said. "Keep my wife out of this. It ain't got nothing to do with her."
Fox News Digital contacted Donalds for comment on Sanders Townsend's remarks and had not received a response when the story was published. Whether he or his team answers, and whether Sanders Townsend clarifies what she meant, are the open questions.
Citazioni salienti
It is a historic win. It is the first time Florida has elected a Black governor.— Symone Sanders Townsend, MS NOW host
Symone Sanders is trying to argue that Blackness and conservatism are polar opposites or that being a Black conservative is being a traitor to your race.— Tim Graham, Media Research Center
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Politics & Governance