(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Byron Donalds, from the bright red state of Florida, easily won re-election on Tuesday, but many of his fellow Republicans across the nation fell short of expectations.
Donalds told “The National Desk” on Wednesday that scare tactics worked:
"Listen, the Democrats did not run on their agenda. Everybody needs to understand that. They ran on fear-mongering," Donalds said:
"And when you actually get down to the nuts and bolts of what they did when they had complete control of Washington, it has been a disaster for America. That has not changed. So the Republican response, frankly, is not going to change much at all.
"It's going to be about getting our border secure; it's going to be about controlling federal spending so you don't have rampant inflation; and it's going to be about holding this administration accountable. As much as the Democrats want to talk about how they want to save democracy, it's Joe Biden's Department of Homeland Security that was suppressing dissent in social media and in media companies.
"His administration was doing that, and so we have to hold them accountable. Because if they truly believe that democracy is somehow in the balance, it's going to be Republicans who are going to save the republic and our democracy -- not more Democrat control."
Donalds admitted that with a closely divided Congress, whatever the final results turn out to be, "It's going to be tough sledding."
"What I would think we need is honest debate on the issues that are affecting the American people. Inflation is still here. It is very, very stubborn. It's not going anywhere. Washington has to curtail its spending if we're going to get inflation under control.
"If fentanyl is still the number one killer of adults between the age of 18 of 45, Washington has to do its job and secure the southern border, not just telling people it's secure, knowing that's a flat-out lie. Those are the two things that would really help us."