Republican Gubernatorial Contender James Fishback Pushes Property Tax Elimination While Defending Past Remarks

James Fishback, a 31-year-old Republican businessman and Davie native, is mounting a gubernatorial campaign centered on abolishing property taxes in Florida. During an appearance on “This Week in South Florida” Sunday, Fishback outlined his primary platform goal while navigating questions about his public record and controversial statements that have generated significant online attention.

When pressed by host Janine Stanwood about allegations that he has used racist and antisemitic language in past remarks, Fishback deflected by attacking frontrunner Byron Donalds. He asserted that Donalds received $104 million from out-of-state donors, citing a $5 million contribution from Mark Zuckerberg, which Fishback claimed was motivated by efforts to establish data centers in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

The state Republican Party has excluded Fishback from major party events, including June’s Sunshine State Showdown, citing his participation in an unsanctioned debate and attacks on fellow GOP candidates. Despite these setbacks, Fishback has established himself as a credible competitor, polling at 9 percent according to RealClearPolitics averages, though he remains substantially behind the Trump-endorsed Donalds.

Fishback’s campaign agenda extends beyond property tax elimination to include a statewide ban on data center development. He has maintained that voter concerns focus on immediate financial pressures rather than his controversial comments, asserting that no constituents have directly complained about his language during campaign interactions.

The Republican primary election is scheduled for August 18, with the winning candidate advancing to face the Democratic nominee on November 3.