Right-wing personality James Fishback announces Florida governor campaign

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – James Fishback, an investment firm founder and right-wing media figure, joined the race for Florida governor Monday.

Fishback announced his campaign on X.com. His filing has not been listed yet on the Florida Division of Elections website.

Fishback is positioning himself as an alternative to the Republican frontrunner, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who has President Trump’s endorsement. Fishback says he can successfully continue Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political policies.

DeSantis is term-limited and can’t run for reelection.

Fishback says he is running on a platform of stopping H-1B visas for foreign workers, stopping investors from buying up homes, blocking the construction of AI data centers and abolishing property taxes.

“Congressman Byron Donalds can’t be our next governor because he won’t fight for Florida,” Fishback said in his campaign announcement. “I will.”

Fishback runs Azoria Capital, an investment firm that looks to invest in companies with long-term potential that don’t have “quantitative demographic hiring targets,” or diversity hiring goals.

Fishback recently made financial news when two of the funds he launched were liquidated by trustees in October. According to reporting from Reuters, the trustees said they made the decision after “considering all relevant information, including, without limitation, recent litigation.”

Fishback was sued by his former employer, hedge fund Greenlight Capital, for breach of his employment agreement. The firm accused Fishback of taking and sharing confidential investment information.

As part of an agreement reached in September, Fishback admitted to sharing the information and agreed to pay legal costs.

Fishback is the latest Republican to join the race for governor. Aside from Donalds, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has thrown his hat into the race. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is also considering running for governor.

On the Democratic side, former Republican congressman David Jolly and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings have filed to run for the office.