James Fishback
Governor
FL Governor 2026
James Fishback is a 31-year-old hedge fund manager and fourth-generation Floridian running a long-shot insurgent campaign for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary. Born January 1, 1995 in Davie (Broward County), he overcame a childhood stutter through competitive debate, becoming a national champion, before dropping out of Georgetown University sophomore year to pursue finance. He worked at hedge fund Greenlight Capital from 2021 to 2023, then founded Azoria Partners. In June 2025 he launched the Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF — an S&P 500 fund excluding companies with DEI policies — which was subsequently shut down by independent trustees over legal concerns. His gubernatorial campaign, announced November 24, 2025, has focused on housing affordability, blocking AI data centers, and opposing U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict. He has raised roughly $295,000 total — compared to frontrunner Byron Donalds's $22 million in Q1 alone — and has spent heavily on merchandise and social media to cultivate a Gen-Z Republican following.
Housing & Property Taxes
Ban institutional buyers from single-family homes; abolish homestead property taxes
- Campaigned on prohibiting private equity firms, Airbnb speculators, and foreign nationals from purchasing single-family homes in Florida
- Proposed abolishing property taxes on homesteaded properties entirely
- Framed housing as a family right, not an investment vehicle: "Our homes are for families — not hedge funds"
Technology & AI
Block AI data centers that threaten Florida's water supply or raise electric bills
- Called for halting construction of AI data centers he argues will strain Florida's water resources and increase utility costs
- Cited PolitiFact-reviewed claims about AI data center water and energy consumption in Florida
- Opposed H-1B visa program, arguing it suppresses wages for American workers
Foreign Policy
Against U.S. military involvement in Iran; isolationist on Middle East conflicts
- Publicly dissented from other FL GOP gubernatorial candidates on the U.S. war with Iran
- Argued Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States justifying military action
- Positioned himself as the anti-intervention candidate in the Republican field
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