That said, he still manages from time to time to repeat typical Democratic talking points when characterizing Republican voters, including accusations that they are \u201cracists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds, who is Black, pushed back against Maher\u2019s suggestion that race played a role in Donalds\u2019 performance in parts of the state during the recent primary.<\/p>\n
Appearing on Friday\u2019s show, Donalds rejected Maher\u2019s assertion that he lost counties in Florida\u2019s Panhandle partly because the region has a predominantly White electorate.<\/p>\n
Donalds disputed that characterization of the results and challenged the suggestion that racism was responsible for his weaker showing in those areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did lose the \u2018Redneck Riviera\u2019 badly,\u201d Maher said, referring to Donalds\u2019 losses in Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, and Washington counties\u2014rural counties where roughly 94% of Republican voters are White.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t get with you on a lot of this policy stuff,\u201d Maher continued. \u201cBut I think it would be great if the country did have its first Black Republican governor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maher went on to praise Donalds for his willingness to run in what he described as a \u201cpost-racial world,\u201d where constituents supposedly do not care about the \u201ccolor of their skin.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Maher then argued, \u201cWe\u2019re not quite there yet, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Redneck Riviera, which is the Panhandle,\u201d Maher began.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there are people there who still would not\u2014you\u2019re a Republican, you\u2019re a Trumper\u2014they should love you, and they don\u2019t. I think there is still racism,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s talk a little bit about the Panhandle,\u201d Donalds replied, beginning his rebuttal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are counties we did incredibly well in that we won. There were some counties that we fell a little short in. That\u2019s OK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Donalds went on to note that his victory came in a crowded field of 11 GOP candidates, \u201cwho had various lines of support.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe No. 1 thing overall, we closed out at 48% of the vote in Florida,\u201d Donalds said. \u201cEight hundred thousand votes\u00a0[is]<\/span>\u00a0a long way to becoming the nominee.\u201d<\/p>\n Donalds countered Maher\u2019s claim that racial bias affected the primary results, emphasizing that Florida is a state where anyone can pursue opportunities in elected office.<\/p>\n \u201cFlorida really has become the microcosm of what we all want,\u201d Donalds said. \u201cIt\u2019s a meritocracy.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s about the best person with the best views, the best skills, the best talent moving forward to represent your state or to represent a district in your state, and Florida exemplifies that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The exchange comes as President Donald Trump\u2019s administration kicked off the week with another policy move highlighting its \u201cAmerica First\u201d agenda.<\/p>\n The Trump administration set the refugee admissions cap for fiscal year 2026 at 7,500, a dramatic reduction from the 125,000 ceiling established under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n The policy redirects the limited number of available slots primarily toward Afrikaners from South Africa who, according to the administration, face government-sponsored discrimination and violence, while suspending broader refugee admissions that critics say strain U.S. resources and pose security risks.<\/p>\n The decision builds on Trump\u2019s first-day executive order in January 2025, titled \u201cRealigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,\u201d which indefinitely suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) until it could be aligned with U.S. national interests.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The order cited the program\u2019s burden on communities, potential security threats, and the need for rigorous vetting to ensure that refugees can assimilate and contribute without compromising taxpayer resources or public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cEntry into the United States of refugees under the USRAP would be detrimental to the interests of the United States,\u201d the order stated.<\/p>\n The order directed the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to prioritize American citizens first.<\/p>\n White House officials have emphasized that the sharp reduction addresses what they describe as years of unchecked migration under President Biden. They argue that the previous policies placed additional strain on the immigration system and allowed individuals from high-risk regions to enter with inadequate screening.<\/p>\n By October 30, 2025, the administration had formalized the 7,500-person cap, stating that admissions would focus on \u201cvictims of illegal or unjust discrimination.\u201d The policy explicitly highlighted White Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, whom the administration said were being targeted amid land-expropriation policies and rising violence.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/morningpost.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/grok-image-c6883533-bccb-4510-827d-7a0bb343fa16-300x200.jpg\")
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