Byron Donalds, 45, helped raise the profile of black conservatism.
Donalds, who was born in New York to a single mother and worked in banking, insurance and finance, entered local politics in Florida in 2012.
After four years in the Florida House, he has served in the U.S. House since 2020, representing the right wing of the party in Washington.
On June 15, Mr. Donald joined Trump at a campaign event in Michigan aimed at winning over black voters. The former president publicly touted Mr Donald as a potential running mate.
“Byron Donald is an incredible guy and I noticed that he happened to be on the list of potential vice presidents,” Trump said. “Would anyone like to see him as vice president?”
In an interview with Fox News, he was coy when asked if he had discussed the job with Trump.
“Maybe, maybe not,” said Mr. Donald. “I’ll keep it a secret.”
“I think President Trump is going to make a great decision,” the congressman continued. “Obviously it was his decision, his decision alone.”
However, talk of Trump joining the race has cooled in recent days as U.S. media reported that his shortlist had narrowed.
