I lost track of how many times Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback paused to let the audience clap.
Fishback spoke Wednesday in the Reitz Union Ballroom at an event hosted by the UF College Republicans. Organizers said more than 500 people attended.
Fishback, a 30-year-old hedge fund manager who has never held public office, announced his candidacy for Florida governor in November. He frames his campaign as that of a political outsider, an investment executive with no prior government experience.
To me, Fishback’s appeal feels driven more by charisma and momentum rather than careful conservative policy debate. Whether that kind of energy translates into effective leadership remains to be seen, but I left the event intrigued by his campaign and still unsure of what to make of him.
Throughout his speech, he mixed humor, policy ideas and sharp political jabs — often leaning into the kind of charismatic, confrontational style that keeps a crowd engaged.
Fishback also took repeated shots at fellow Republican candidate Byron Donalds. At one point, he called Donalds a “washed-up RINO [Republican in Name Only]” and said he should “get the hell out of my Republican Party,” drawing loud applause.
The criticism extends beyond the stage. In a recent Instagram post, Fishback showed himself catching an alligator and naming it “By’rone.” During the event, he also referenced Donalds’ past legal troubles, which include a marijuana distribution charge at 18 and a felony theft charge at 20.
I found his focus on Donalds disappointing. While Fishback may be trying to hold Donalds to a higher standard, returning to personal attacks throughout the speech felt childish and unbecoming of the leadership he says he wants to bring to Florida.
Fishback’s speech rarely stayed on one subject for long. He moved quickly from policy ideas to cultural commentary and campaign tactics aimed at younger voters.
He told the crowd he joined Tinder last month as part of his campaign outreach, drawing laughter from the room. He also promoted his proposal to impose a 50% “sin tax” on earnings from platforms like OnlyFans.
Fishback said, with the help of voters, he will legislate morality.
The normalization of sex work, especially through platforms like OnlyFans, has eroded the meaning of real feminism and healthy relationships. When sex becomes a commodity, it reshapes how people view themselves and one another. If Fishback were actually able to curb that culture through policy, I believe it would benefit Floridians regardless of political ideology.
Fishback also cited conservative economist Thomas Sowell to explain his approach to governing. No single policy, he said, will satisfy everyone, and leadership comes down to making trade-offs between competing priorities.
He tied that idea to an America-first, Florida-first, mindset — arguing that serving the state may require working with both Republicans and Democrats when necessary. In that context, he referenced remarks by former Vice President Kamala Harris while criticizing what he described as a reckless and unnecessary foreign conflict in Iran that he believes does not serve U.S. interests.
He later turned to the long-running controversial case of Jeffrey Epstein, promising that if elected governor, he would appoint a special prosecutor on his first day in office to reopen investigations tied to Epstein’s activities in Palm Beach. He also called for the full release of files related to the case.
I find his emphasis on transparency refreshing. The Epstein case has left Americans across the political spectrum with fearful unanswered questions about many high level officials. Demanding clearer answers is not a partisan position – it is a basic expectation in a functioning democracy.
Fishback proposed what he described as a formal commitment to voters, saying he would stand before a U.S. courthouse and put his campaign promises in writing under penalty of perjury, surrendering his right to seek reelection if he failed to follow through.
By the end of his speech, the energy in the room felt almost hive-minded. James Fishback is undeniably charismatic, and he knows how to draw people in. His passion, confidence and willingness to make bold promises kept the crowd with him at every turn.
Part of his appeal is the sense of certainty he projects. Promising to stand before a courthouse and put campaign commitments in writing sends a clear signal: He wants supporters to believe they have a reason to hope he will follow through.
The energy surrounding his campaign felt both magnetic and a little unsettling — and that may have been his goal.
Contact Alannah Peters @apeters@alligator.org. Follow her on X @alannahjp777.
Alannah Peters is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in public relations. In her spare time, she can be found trying new coffee shops with friends, traveling the U.S. or going on hot girl walks at Lake Alice.
