The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Dismantling Bureaucracy: A New Era for Education with Erika Donalds

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Dismantling Bureaucracy: A New Era for Education with Erika Donalds
Release Date: March 26, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Tudor Dixon hosts Erika Donalds, the newly appointed Chair of the America First Policy Institute's Center for Education Opportunity. Donalds, a seasoned advocate for school choice with over 15 years of experience, delves into pivotal discussions on dismantling bureaucratic structures within the Department of Education and promoting educational freedom through school choice initiatives.

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Erika Donalds' Role and Vision

Expanding Education Opportunities
Erika Donalds expresses her enthusiasm for her new role, emphasizing her lifelong commitment to school choice. She states:

“I really am living in my school choice dream world right now. ... I need school choice for my own kids...”
— Erica Donalds [02:34]

As Chair of the America First Policy Institute's Center for Education Opportunity, Donalds aims to influence national education policies by interfacing directly with the White House, Congress, and key figures like Secretary McMahon. Her focus is on leveraging the current administration's platform to fulfill promises related to educational reform.

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Dismantling the Department of Education

Clarifying Misconceptions
A significant portion of the discussion centers around the proposed dismantling of the federal Department of Education. Donalds addresses common misconceptions:

“The federal Department of Education doesn't educate a single child. It actually only makes up about 10% of the education funding.”
— Erica Donalds [04:39]

She clarifies that the removal of the Department is not a withdrawal of funding but a strategic shift to reduce bureaucratic overhead. By returning responsibilities to the states, the aim is to eliminate excessive paperwork and streamline the allocation of resources, thereby enhancing efficiency and accountability at the local level.

Reduction of Bureaucracy
Donalds highlights the inefficiencies within the Department:

“Before two weeks ago, it was about 4,400. ... Multiple layers of bureaucrats are required just for money to go from the federal government down to the classrooms.”
— Erica Donalds [07:15]

The recent reduction in Department staff from approximately 4,400 to 1,300 employees is portrayed as a necessary move to eliminate waste and redundancy. Donalds criticizes the existence of multiple departments within the Department of Education that contribute to bureaucratic bloat rather than student advancement.

Impact on Teacher Unions
The conversation shifts to the role of teacher unions in the current educational bureaucracy:

“...teachers unions who control most of these individuals ... are the ones saying that they're no longer going to provide these services...”
— Erica Donalds [06:54]

Donalds argues that unions have historically maintained the bureaucratic status quo, often at the expense of educational efficacy. By reducing bureaucracy, the hope is to empower teachers and administrators to focus more on student outcomes rather than administrative tasks.

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Accountability and State Responsibility

Ensuring Quality Education Post-Dismantling
A critical concern addressed is how to maintain accountability without the federal oversight previously provided by the Department of Education:

“I think a lot of it does have to do with transparency. ... parents and voters can hold their elected officials accountable.”
— Erica Donalds [11:18]

Donalds emphasizes that the responsibility will shift entirely to the states and local communities. Transparency in school performance will become paramount, enabling voters to directly hold state officials accountable for educational outcomes.

Polls and Public Support
The episode underscores the significant public backing for school choice:

“Over 70% overall support for school choice, including 67% of Democrats ... much higher for Republicans.”
— Erica Donalds [20:56]

Despite media resistance, Donalds points out that voter support for school choice transcends party lines, highlighting a critical disconnect between public opinion and legislative action, often influenced by teacher union campaign contributions.

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School Choice in Florida

Florida’s Comprehensive Approach
Donals discusses Florida as a model for school choice, detailing both public and private options available to students:

“We now have both public and private school choice. About 10% of our kids are in charter schools ... over 500,000 students that are on an ESA.”
— Erica Donalds [17:56]

Florida's Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) provide $9,000 per student for tuition at private schools, as well as for courses and materials, fostering a competitive and innovative educational environment.

Public Funding and Accountability
The conversation touches on the funding mechanism for ESAs:

“It is publicly funded. It used to be a tax credit scholarship ... same dollars that would otherwise go to your public school are now going into an account that is controlled by the parent.”
— Erica Donalds [19:12]

By reallocating existing public funds, ESAs aim to enhance educational choice without increasing the overall education budget, ensuring that public schools remain accountable and high-performing to retain funding.

Preventing Public School Closures
Addressing fears of public school closures due to increased school choice:

“Public schools don't close regardless. ... you have to have the same accountability for schools, public schools, that we would for private schools.”
— Erica Donalds [19:42]

Donalds reassures that public schools will remain operational, but emphasizes that accountability will compel underperforming schools to improve or face the consequences of failing to meet educational standards.

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Teacher Unions and Legislative Reforms

Union Reforms in Florida
Donalds discusses recent legislative changes aimed at reducing union influence:

“Prop paycheck protection ... no longer subsidize the collection of union dues on behalf of our teachers unions.”
— Erica Donalds [22:04]

Reforms include prohibiting automatic union dues deductions and lowering the threshold for decertification, thereby diminishing the power of teacher unions and aligning them more closely with educational outcomes rather than political agendas.

Impact on Teacher Dynamics
These reforms aim to create a more merit-based system for educators:

“School choice is so great for teachers, because it gives them a non-union option that will allow great teachers to thrive and even perhaps get paid more for their better performance.”
— Erica Donalds [22:04]

By introducing competition and performance-based incentives, the reforms seek to attract and retain high-quality teachers, fostering an environment where excellence is rewarded.

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Campaign and Political Endeavors

Byron Donalds’ Gubernatorial Campaign
The episode transitions to discussions about Erika’s husband, Congressman Byron Donalds, and his campaign for Governor of Florida:

“... my husband announced that he would be running for governor. ... we hope that we can get the endorsement of the majority of Floridians.”
— Erica Donalds [29:15]

Byron Donalds leverages his extensive experience in financial services and his conservative track record to address pressing state issues such as insurance crises and disaster preparedness.

Addressing Florida's Unique Challenges
Key areas of focus for Byron’s campaign include:

• Insurance Reform:

  “Our insurance market is really in crisis right now. ... legislation that could be improved in order to better the insurance markets here.”
  — Erica Donalds [32:21]

• Disaster Preparedness:

  “... facilitating a lot of those disaster recovery efforts. So he's got that direct experience...”
  — Erica Donalds [32:21]

By addressing these critical areas, Byron aims to position Florida as a resilient and economically robust state, capable of handling natural disasters and ensuring affordable insurance for its residents.

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Future Initiatives and Goals

National Education Policy and School Choice Expansion
Looking ahead, Donalds outlines her strategic objectives:

“... help dismantle the Department, answer the executive orders regarding school choice ... get the Education Choice for Children act through reconciliation.”
— Erica Donalds [35:16]

Her goals include enacting federal tax credits for school choice and supporting states like Texas and Tennessee in implementing and refining their school choice programs. By promoting best practices and fostering innovation, Donalds envisions a nationwide transformation in educational accessibility and quality.

Engagement and Transparency
Donalds emphasizes the importance of staying connected and transparent with the public:

“Follow me on Twitter at Erica Donalds. Please do. And that's where I try to post everything...”
— Erica Donalds [35:16]

By utilizing social media and other platforms, she aims to keep stakeholders informed and engaged in the ongoing efforts to reshape the educational landscape.

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Conclusion

Erika Donalds provides a compelling vision for educational reform, advocating for reduced federal bureaucracy, increased state responsibility, and expanded school choice. Her insights highlight the intersection of policy, accountability, and public support, making a strong case for dismantling outdated structures in favor of more effective, localized education systems. Additionally, her involvement in Byron Donalds' gubernatorial campaign underscores a broader commitment to leadership and community service aimed at addressing both educational and economic challenges in Florida.

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Notable Quotes

• Erica Donalds on Dismantling the Department of Education:
  “The federal Department of Education doesn't educate a single child. It actually only makes up about 10% of the education funding.”
  — [04:39]

• On Reducing Bureaucracy:
  “What's astonishing is that the teachers unions who control most of these individuals between the federal government and the classrooms are the ones saying that they're no longer going to provide these services...”
  — [06:54]

• On Public Support for School Choice:
  “Over 70% overall support for school choice, including 67% of Democrats and higher number for independents and much higher, well over 70% for Republicans.”
  — [20:56]

• On the Purpose of Union Reforms:
  “School choice is so great for teachers, because it gives them a non-union option that will allow great teachers to thrive and even perhaps get paid more for their better performance...”
  — [22:04]

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Final Thoughts

This episode provides a deep dive into the complexities of educational reform, highlighting the necessity of reducing federal intervention to empower states and local communities. Erika Donalds presents a strategic approach to enhancing educational outcomes through school choice, transparency, and accountability, while also addressing broader socio-political dynamics that influence these initiatives. Listeners are offered a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in reshaping the American education system toward a more efficient and equitable future.

Transcript

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[Tudor Dixon]

Listen and subscribe welcome to the Tudor Dixon Podcast. Today we have a returning guest, Erica Donald, on the show. I'm very excited because she is a returning guest, but she has a new role in the world and it's a very important one. She is the chair of the America First Policy Institute, center for Education Opportunity. Erica, I know you founded a bunch of charter schools and this has been your area of interest for about 15 years now. And I'm so impressed that you get to do this and kind of interface with the new administration. So tell us a little bit about how that's going.

[Erica Donalds]

Yeah, I really am living in my school choice dream world right now. I've been working on school choice for 15 years. I served on my local school board about 10 years ago, but dedicated my life to expanding education opportunities for families like myself. That's why I got into this. I needed school choice for my own kids and being at America First Policy Institute, heading up their education nationally. Not only do I get to continue to work on school choice in the States, which is where it belongs, as we know, but I also get to interface with the White House and Congress and Secretary McMahon and her team on the things that they're doing to respond to the executive orders and to eventually dismantle the Department of Education. So I'm really having a great time traveling back and forth to D.C. and just making sure that we use this time that we have with Trump in office to deliver on his promises to the American people.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, in that last one that you mentioned, dismantling the Department of Ed, obviously that's getting quite a bit of attention and there's some people that I think it's, it's misleading. I think the media has been very misleading about what the Department of Ed does. The Federal Department of Ed. So you have your State Department of Ed and then you have the federal Department of Ed. There is a certain amount of funding. But can we just kind of go through from your perspective what that looks like? Because I think people hear that and there's suddenly stories about kids aren't going to get their lunches anymore and there's going to be money taken from teachers and all of that. So if we can just kind of dive into what that means.

[Erica Donalds]

Absolutely. The federal Department of Education doesn't educate a single child. It actually only makes up about 10% of the education funding. That makes it down to each individual classroom in our public education system. A lot of that is focused low income and special needs students. But President Trump and Secretary McMahon have made it very clear that that Funding is going to continue. So then what does it mean to dismantle the Department of Education if the funding is going to continue to flow? Well, some of that funding was being passed down to the states to handle these responsibilities through HHS before the Department of Education even existed 45 years ago. So we're going back to the way it was. Doesn't need to be a separate department. That money can still flow to the states. But what is going away, it's the multiple layers of bureaucracy that is required to report back on these services that are being given to the students. We've heard from teachers that they spend more time filling out paperwork than actually performing services for students with special needs. We want to take that away, eliminate the bureaucracy, allow states and local districts to ensure that these services are going to continue, but give them more money and more flexibility in order to serve the students that they know best.

[Tudor Dixon]

So were they having to fill out those that information to get that back to. To get grants and that kind of thing? I mean, because it just seems like that's something that should have always been on the local level. Even if you get a grant, there should be someone kind of interfacing on the ground to make sure that that is actually what it went to, is actually happening.

[Erica Donalds]

And that's why the federal department existed, frankly. They were passing out money, and someone at the state level had to receive that money and document how they passed it down to the local level. Someone at the local had to be there as an employee getting paid to document how it goes down to the classroom. The teacher has to report back what services that has to report back from the district of state. Think about the multiple layers of bureaucrats that are required just for money to go from the federal government down to the classrooms. What's astonishing is that the teachers unions who control most of these individuals between the federal government and the classrooms are the ones saying that they're no longer going to provide these services, even though they're going to be getting the money to do so.

[Tudor Dixon]

So I, I think that's been kind of the confusion when you've heard people talk about this is that they feel like this has been there forever. You know, for, for most of us, we've always known that there was a federal Department of Ed from the time we were little kids to now. This has been there. And it seems like, gosh, this is a massive amount of people. How many people work at the Department of Ed? 4,000.

[Erica Donalds]

Well before two weeks ago, it was about 4,400. But as you probably Know, just a week after Linda McMahon was confirmed, they did a reduction in force, which that number in half. And this was excess waste and bloat. Frankly. One of the examples that they gave us was that there were six different strategic communications departments in the Department of Education. Obviously, that's not helping students get educated. That's messaging to whomever. Right? And the average salary at the department was $140,000. So now after the reduction in force and after some of the employees, a few hundred took the buyouts that were offered, were down to about 1300 employees in the department remaining. Some of those may be shifted off to other departments that are taking on some of the responsibilities. Office of Civil Rights, we're talking about going to Justice. The student loan portfolio may be going to sba, as the president announced last week. So some of those employees will continue to do those functions in a different department. But DOE was already the smallest department in the federal government, so it does not need to remain a department unto itself, just so that some of the functions can continue.

[Tudor Dixon]

I mean, it's interesting because I've heard so many people say, how can you support getting rid of these people and just cutting them? And in. In these conversations, you know, I think a lot of us who are in the private sector have said, you know what, it's unfortunate, but when you restructure a business, people lose their jobs and they have to find other jobs. And though I don't ever wish that upon someone, there are other jobs out there. However, you saying that the average salary was 140,000 kind of blows my mind a little bit. I mean, that's more than the governor of Michigan makes in a year, you know, so I'm a little bit stunned by that. And I can see now why there is so much concern because your lifestyle is going to really change. I mean, there. That's. There aren't that many jobs out there that you come into from a government position and you would go into at 40, $140,000 a year.

[Erica Donalds]

It's unfortunate. You know, you and I have the same compassion for these individuals. Many of them are there because they love education. Maybe they have come from a teaching position and worked their way up. And it's not about that. Our nation is in crisis in more ways than one. Like, we're in a debt crisis. We've got to get our spending under control at the federal level. Our children are inheriting this massive debt and bureaucracy, so that's one thing. But our nation is also in an academic performance crisis where we're Turning out only one in three students that are reading. How are these people going to run our businesses, run our cities and our counties and our states, and carry forward the responsibilities of a republic? So we have to fix this problem. We cannot continue at the status quo. And I fully support all of the actions that Trump has taken and immediate actions, thank goodness. To get this really bureaucracy under control and push the accountability as well down to the states to just do better with their performance.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, and how do you, I mean, I guess there's some of. That is a concern of how do you keep the states accountable if you have no federal Department of Ed? And we're coming off of COVID I think Secretary McMahon is walking in at a time when everybody has been very lackadaisical about holding anyone accountable. I mean, in the state of Michigan, we're now the 41st state in the nation for education. It's really gone downhill. I mean, this has gone down, I think, 10 points since Gretchen Whitmer took office. And there doesn't seem to be a lot of push. It's kind of one of those uncomfortable conversations to honest with you, because if you sit down and you say, man, the schools in the, in the state are terrible. Parents are like, what do you, you know, what do you want us to do? This is our school. So you're insulting me. You're, you're saying something that is very offensive to me. And, and I think even with the options, even with this, the school choice options, a lot of people end up in public schools. So, and, and we should want our public schools to thrive. So what is the answer to getting those schools back on track? So kids are reading.

[Erica Donalds]

I think a lot of it does have to do with transparency. And that is one aspect of the federal department that will continue perhaps in a different area, like the census, to expose how our schools are performing in the different states and even maybe in a more granular way so parents and voters can hold their elected officials accountable. But ultimately, it is the responsibility of the states and then the voters of those states to hold elected officials accountable if their students are not performing. And right now, you have a bit of, you know, finger pointing because there are, are so many federal mandates. It's easy for a state to say, well, you know, the federal government is involved and we've got to do this, this and that. We don't want to have them allow that excuse any longer. So with the states completely responsible for education, that's where the voters can look at the performance and say, listen, Governor Whitmer, you are doing a terrible job and these students are not performing under your watch and hold that person accountable. And yeah, the blue states are going to have to come to a reckoning with their voters just like they have on many other issues. But unfortunately, the red states are going to, I believe, with school choice, competition and free market, continue to outperform. And maybe that's a source of competition amongst the states.

[Tudor Dixon]

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[Tudor Dixon]

For those of the folks that are in a state that, that doesn't have school choice. I mean in, in Michigan we have choice within the public education system, but it doesn't extend to private schools or faith based schools. For a state like Florida, explain your school choice program and how that's changed the state over the years.

[Erica Donalds]

We are so fortunate in Florida to be a school choice state. We now have both public and private school choice. About 10% of our kids are in charter schools and those students are outperforming their demographic equivalent in the public schools. Not only that, but there's also studies around the country showing that when there is choice, even if it's just charter schools, public school choice, it does elevate the performance of the related public schools in those areas. In Florida, we also have private school choice in the form of education scholarship accounts. Now, 14 states have universal ESAs, but in Florida we have over 500,000 students that are on an ESA where they're getting $9,000 per student to use on tuition at a private school, but they can also customize taking different courses, purchasing curriculum and materials and things like that. So it is a completely different ball game here in Florida where we're starting to see the supply and the innovation come about and there's more and more options for families. Here in Florida, I think people are going to start moving down to states like Florida, Arizona, soon to be Texas, Tennessee, because they're going to get that extra money to help their children get a better education.

[Tudor Dixon]

Is the ESA program there publicly publicly funded or is that privately funded?

[Erica Donalds]

It is publicly funded. It used to be a tax credit scholarship and hopefully we'll have a federal tax credit scholarship here passing soon. But we did change it over to where it is funded with the same dollars that would otherwise go to your public school are now going into an account that is controlled by the parent.

[Tudor Dixon]

So the complaint with that is then you could potentially be closing public schools. How has that in? I mean, the numbers that I've seen, it doesn't show that public schools do close. But how have, what have you seen in Florida?

[Erica Donalds]

Public schools don't close regardless. I mean, they could be completely empty and they won't close. Even in Florida we've had a really hard time getting School boards to come to the realization that you have to close these schools or consolidate and give these kids another opportunity because it is failing. Listen, I was on the school board. I've been in these battles of this school is half empty. What do we need to do to attract students? I think it takes them hitting rock bottom. And I'm sorry, but that's the way that the system works. When you fail, you cannot be subsidized. You cannot be rewarded for failure with more money and more subsidization. We have to have the same accountability for schools, public schools, that we would for private schools, that we would for charter schools and any other business, or we're not going to see the improvement that inevitably about when failure happens. Failure is good in a free market society because it tells you what doesn't work and forces you to redirect those resources into something that will work. That's what we need. We need that.

[Tudor Dixon]

And polls show that people like this, I mean, that's something that I think that we've had a lot of pushback in the media, but the polling of actual voters are saying, hey, we support candidates who support school choice more than ever.

[Erica Donalds]

Over 70% overall support for school choice, including 67% of Democrats and higher number for independents and much higher, well over 70% for Republicans. So this is becoming one of those 8020 issues that the Democrats just refuse to fold on because they are loyal to the teachers unions who are funding their campaign. 98% of donations, political donations from teachers unions go to Democrats. So even though 67% of their voters support school choice, 0%, virtually 0% of Democrat legislators and elected officials are supportive of school choice.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, I mean, this is a guaranteed income for them if they, if teachers unions have public schools open, it's a guaranteed income. And I think that's something that people don't understand, that teachers are forced into the union in most states and then if they're in the union, they're obviously paying dues. Those dues are getting paid out of their paycheck, which is taxpayer funded. And therefore your taxpayer dollars are often funding Democrats to get elected 100%.

[Erica Donalds]

And thankfully, you know, states like Florida, I actually advocated for paycheck protection for 10 years before it finally got passed under Governor DeSantis. So prop to him in the legislature for finally get it, getting it done. And that means that our school districts no longer subsidize the collection of union dues on behalf of our teachers unions. They cannot be automatically taken out of paychecks any longer. That combined with laws that allow for decertification when union membership falls below a certain threshold. In Florida, I believe it's now 50%. It keeps the unions on their toes and in some cases allows for another type of organization to come in to be the collective bargaining unit for those teachers that may not have the same political ties as a traditional teachers union, you know, member of one of the national organizations. So we're seeing reforms. Obviously we've gotten some Supreme Court decisions that have gone our way as well, not forcing people to be members of the union any longer in the states around the country. And so I think that will continue to evolve. But that's also why school choice is so great for teachers, because it gives them a non union option that will allow great teachers to thrive and even perhaps get paid more for their better performance, for going into more difficult neighborhoods, which you cannot do in the public schools.

[Tudor Dixon]

Stick around. We've got more with Erica Donalds. But first I want to tell you about my partners at Wired to Fish. I recently came across this company and they're making a huge difference worldwide. Again, it's called Wired to Fish Coffee. I love the brand for a couple of reasons, but one of the biggest ones is because it aligns with my faith. By putting their profits where their mouth is. Wired to fish coffee gives 25% of their net profits to faith based programs and clean water initiatives. 25%. And the coffee is delicious. It's sourced in Guatemala and Mexico and known for some of the finest coffee beans in the world. Wired to Fish Coffee's rich arabica blend has already been loved by thousands who comment on its smooth finish and amazing taste. So give Wired to Fish Coffee a try today and join a community of like minded people making a difference. I mean, seriously, you guys, you're all drinking coffee. I know you are. So drink coffee that has something that you're passionate about. It's Wired to Fish Coffee. Head over there now. Wired to fish coffee.com that's wired the number two fish coffee.com and use tutor that code tutorial for 15% off your first order. Now stay tuned. We'll be right back after this.

[Ryan Seacrest]

So after more than a year of nothing but war and terror and pain, the need for security essentials and support for first responders is still critical. Even in times of a ceasefire, Israel must be prepared for the next attack whenever it may come. As Israel, as we all know, is surrounded by enemies on all sides. And thankfully, we have partnered very proudly with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and they will continue to support the tens and tens of thousands of people in Israel with their life saving security essentials. Your gift today will help save lives. You're providing bomb shelters, armored security vehicles, ambulances and humanitarian assistance at a very high level. Your generous donation will help ensure that the people of Israel are safe, that they are secure in the days to come. Please go to their website supportifcj.org that's one word, supportifcj.org or call 888-488-IFCJ 888-488- IFCJ or 888-488-4325 today each week on.

[Erica Donalds]

Echoes of History, we uncover the epic stories that inspire Assassin's Creed.

[Rodney Williams]

We're stepping into feudal Japan in our special series Chasing Shadows, which where samurai warlords and shinobi spies teach us the tactics and skills needed not only to.

[Erica Donalds]

Survive, but to conquer. Whether you're preparing for Assassin's Creed Shadows or fascinated by history and great stories.

[Rodney Williams]

Listen to Echoes of History, a Ubisoft.

[Tudor Dixon]

Podcast brought to you by History Hit.

[Rodney Williams]

There are new episodes every week.

[Erica Donalds]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more.

[Rodney Williams]

Connect with [e-mail] I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle, and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealth break. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggle, and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risks, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[Ryan Seacrest]

The best way to understand all sides of an issue is to to know all sides of an issue. Can't get that in the mainstream media, which is why you've got to listen to some Clay and Buck for another point of view. Buck, why are you going third person? Because, Clay, I think this ad is running in places that might not exactly align with all of our politics or even know who we are. It's impossible. But even if it's true, I bet if they did listen, they'd end up agreeing with us on at least one issue, even if they secretly want admitted. Well, the only way they're gonna find out is if they download the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever they get their pods. We're easy to find. Unlike your wife at Costco, Clay, you speak the truth. But we're already losing people. I think I gained one or two just now. In case you haven't noticed, we like to have a lot of fun as well as talk about what's going on in the world. Come Hang with us today and every day at Clay and buck. Download the iHeartRadio app. Search out the those names. Clay Travis, Buck Sexton and Come Hang.

[Tudor Dixon]

Talked a lot about being in D.C. you said now that Donald Trump has been elected, you've been there quite a bit. Obviously, we know your husband and Congressman Byron Donalds is in D.C. as much as Congress is in session. So now you're probably actually seeing a little bit more of him. But you guys recently made an announcement that you'd like to spend a little bit more time in Florida. So tell us a little bit about that.

[Erica Donalds]

Yeah, we're very fortunate that Donald Trump came out and gave him the Run Byron Run tweet with a full endorsement of Byron for governor of Florida. So just a few days later, about a month ago now, my husband announced that he would be running for governor. We've been in Florida since we were in college. We met at Florida State University, which is in Tallahassee, our state capital. Started dating, got married, built a life, built a family. We spent 20 years in financial services before ever getting involved in politics. It was not in our plans at all, but we had been serving the community in different ways and just had been encouraged to get more involved in public service. So it's kind of been a progression where, you know, more and more people have trusted us, and especially my husband, with decisions on behalf of our community, from state House to Congress. And now, you know, we hope that we can get the endorsement of the majority of Floridians to go to Tallahassee and really make a difference in a state that's been so good to us and is in such a great position to really thrive in the coming years. And DeSantis is termed out, so he's not running again. So we just are really looking forward to it. It's been an awesome first month of the campaign. So much support. We've got a kickoff this weekend, a rally in our hometown here in southwest Florida. So it's. It's exciting, and I just feel honored that so many people trust him, trust us with such a big responsibility.

[Tudor Dixon]

There have been some other names that have been thrown around. I mean, Matt Gaetz had been thrown around. I think he said he's not going to run, but you talked about Ron DeSantis being term limited. Casey DeSantis is not. So they. There has been some talk about the first lady run of Florida, running for governor. What. What do you think? What are you hearing behind the scenes on that?

[Erica Donalds]

You know, that has come up a few times. You know, she's teased a run. I don't know what she's going to do, but I know my husband has an incredible track record, you know, both voting in the state House and in Congress. He's got the most conservative track record from all of the groups that, you know, track these things when it comes to VOT. But also he spent 20 years in financial services and banking and insurance, and those are the things that really bring something to the table for Florida. We have an insurance crisis and property taxes. He totally understands those issues. And we want to be the financial and business capital of the world. We're already well on our way there. So I just think that his background really aligns well with where we're positioned as a state right now. And the fact that he does have such a conservative track record really speaks to Floridians.

[Tudor Dixon]

I mean, Florida is a unique state because when you're looking at states like Florid or California, you. You have a propensity for natural. Natural disasters there. You obviously have a propensity for hurricanes. And I assume that's what you're talking about when it comes to insurance. Does that. Does he. He believe that his background in insurance would help him in crisis situations like that. Because I think anybody who is looking at who can lead the state, in your state specifically that would be a great concern is that we have. Have a natural disaster almost every year and that puts you directly into crisis mode every. Every fall.

[Erica Donalds]

Sure, that's one aspect of it. Our insurance market is really in crisis right now. We've had a lot of carriers leave the state, you know, because of some of the natural disasters. You know, there's legislation that could be improved in order to better the insurance markets here, both property insurance and car insurance. So that's a big concern. So just the mechanisms of that. And he did serve as a chair of that committee in the state House when he was there, but also in southwest Florida, unfortunately, we've had a lot of direct hits while he has been a representative either at the state or congressional level. So he has been on the ground in southwest Florida. I remember during Irma, there were three weeks that I didn't see him because he was out there on the ground helping our community. When we first got hit in 2017, we got hit with Ian a couple of years ago. And of course he was in Congress at the time, so facilitating a lot of those disaster recovery efforts. So he's got that direct experience, not just in the markets and preparing for those things, but actually being on the ground helping our community directly when they hit.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, I mean, it sounds like you have a lot ahead of you with these are two big things. You've got education and you've got a big campaign coming up. What does Byron, what is the. For him, for the congressman? What is the biggest issue that he thinks Florida is facing? We talked about insurance, but there must be something that he is just just driving him to get out there and say, I want to do this. I want to serve for the people. Right. Directly in my state on the highest level that he can.

[Erica Donalds]

It really does center around individual liberty and freedom. I think a lot of people don't know. We started off in politics in the Tea Party movement and it was all centered around small governments and the government not getting in the way, picking winners and losers, doing bailout. And that's what got us involved in politics in the first place. And my husband went back and read things like Frederick Bastiat, the Law. I've got John Locke here behind me in my bookshelf. And so it really comes down to political philosophy that gives people the best opportunities to succeed in life because government is not tying them up in bureaucracy and regulations and things like that, so that's kind of the overall picture, is having people who understand what the right political philosophy is in our country of federalism, individual liberty and choices, property rights, and not get involved so much in the nuances because there are going to be new issues that come up that we can't even think to talk about if he were to become governor over the next eight years. So you need someone who has the right principles and the right foundation that's going to make the right decision when those new issues come up that we can't even think to discuss at this point.

[Tudor Dixon]

So before I let you go, tell me what do we expect to see out of you in this new role at the America First Policy Institute, and what do we expect to see on this national scale when it comes to education before you guys dive into this major campaign?

[Erica Donalds]

Well, I'm going to continue to work with, like I said, the White house and Linda McMahon and her team and Congress to dismantle the department, answer the executive orders regarding school choice for the president and hopefully get the Education Choice for Children act through reconciliation, which will be our first federal tax credit for school choice. And that will help a lot of blue states where people want school choice and just won't have access to it through their, their state legislature. It's a completely, it's all tax, it's not on the doe, but we're hoping to get that passed. But then most importantly, we're supporting states in their efforts to expand or enact school choice. We're working with Texas right now to get that across the finish line. My first thing that I did in this position was to write a letter and help Tennessee get their universal school choice pass and then helping to improve those policies across the board. Because there's a lot of experimentation going on in school choice and in essays and we want to make sure everyone gets the very best practices in place so the most families can take advantage of these and that we bring about innovation, quality and access for everyone in a free market environment. So that's what you're going to expect to see, if you don't already. Follow me on Twitter at Erica Donalds. Please do. And that's where I try to post everything that's going on both federally and statewide so people can stay up to date.

[Tudor Dixon]

Amazing. Well, I expect to see great things and we are so glad that you came on to talk to us about this. So congratulations on your new position and congratulations on making, making the decision as a family to go out and run for governor. That's a big one.

[Erica Donalds]

Yes. Don't you know it. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it. Hopefully we'll get to talk again soon.

[Tudor Dixon]

Absolutely. And thank you all for joining us on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others, go to tutordixonpodcast.com you can subscribe right there or head over to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And join us next time on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Have a blessed day.

[Erica Donalds]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Erica Donalds]

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[Rodney Williams]

Connect with [e-mail] I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak podcast, a real conversation about finance. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.

[Tudor Dixon]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have to revisit that.

[Rodney Williams]

And we're not stopping at success stories.

[Erica Donalds]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

[Rodney Williams]

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, I'm Don Wildman. And on American history hit my expert guests. And I journey across the nation and through the years to uncover the stories that have made the United States. From first flight to first ladies, from stitching the Star Spangled Banner to striking gold in California to shooting for the moon with Apollo. We've got you covered. Catch new episodes of American History. Hit a podcast by history. Hit every Monday and Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Hey Clay, if there was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselor. Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August. Be a lot of fun, too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references thrown in this podcast. Like a daily dose of that, minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls. The Bonafide Boot Camp for critical Thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Just search our names Clay and Bach. Listen and subscribe.