(LifeSiteNews) — A self-described “Christ-first, America first patriot” running to be Florida’s next governor told LifeSiteNews that he will protect preborn children from the moment of conception, “shut down every single Planned Parenthood abortion center in our state,” “erect crisis pregnancy centers” in their place, and protect citizens’ rights to criticize any government they deem fit, including Israel.
James Fishback, a 31-year-old CEO of an investment firm, said during a telephone interview that his pro-life commitments are solidified by sacred scripture, particularly Jeremiah 1:5 that reads, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”
“As an unapologetic Catholic, I believe that life begins at conception, and either abortion is murder or it isn’t. Either abortion is a holocaust or it isn’t. Either abortion is genocide against Gen Z or it isn’t,” he reasoned. “And so I’m not going to play this game of negotiating with the left or even the RINOS about when life begins. Life begins at conception, and so I believe that the correct number of abortions in a state in a given year is zero.”
On Wednesday, Fishback released a statement on X from outside a local Planned Parenthood pledging to “shut down every single abortion clinic in this state. And in its place, we will erect crisis pregnancy centers that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
As Florida Governor, I will shut down every abortion clinic in the state. pic.twitter.com/ZjGJMZOg2i
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) January 7, 2026
He explained how women often feel trapped and abandoned while walking into a Planned Parenthood with a natural desire to keep their baby but lacking sufficient support including childcare, diapers, baby food and health care only to be denied these things and told be the nation’s largest abortion provider, “No ma’am, all we offer is murder.”
“We will shut down every Planned Parenthood to protect women and the preborn across the Sunshine State,” he closed.
In December, the fourth-generation Floridian shared a new ad on social media touching upon the intense debate over America’s support for Israel on the political right but specifically addressing a Florida statute that many argue has created unconstitutional restrictions on free speech when it comes to criticizing Israel, Zionism, or the like, potentially misconstruing speech on these topics as “antisemitism.”
“Is Netanyahu a war criminal? Did Israel commit genocide?” Fishback asks in his ad. “If you say either of those statements in public, you could be convicted of antisemitism.”
Is Netanyahu a war criminal?
Did Israel commit genocide?My new ad. pic.twitter.com/4dlipfflUl
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) December 16, 2025
“Criticizing a foreign government or any government is always protected under our Constitution,” he affirmed. “Our founding fathers fought and died for that right, and I’ll never let anyone steal it from you … America is our birthright, and we can criticize whom we please.”
“I think everyone should welcome open debate in our country,” the political newcomer told LifeSite. “And so whatever side of the Israel issue you fall on, you should welcome an open debate.”
He did go on to criticize Florida “state statute § 1.015 that actually codified the IHRAs definition of anti-Semitism which includes criticism of the Israeli government, the Israeli state. That’s extremely problematic. That is an assault on free speech.”
“If you want to criticize Qatar, be my guest, Russia, be my guest, Ukraine, be my guest. If you want to criticize Israel, be my guest,” he emphasized.
“The precondition for our government, a constitutional republic, is that we have a right to criticize the government, including and especially when that government is sending billions of dollars overseas to a country (Israel) that, by the way, offers free abortion to any and all of its citizens,” he admonished.
“And so, I obviously have disagreements with the Israeli government by what has occurred in Gaza,” Fishback said. “But I also have disagreements by how they’ve taken their own tax dollars and used them to fund abortion across their country. Thus, my view is very simple: We should not provide any government aid to any foreign country, especially those that are committing the act of genocide against the pre-born.”
The young political hopeful lamented the very low rate of home ownership for his contemporaries, as compared with the previous generation, observing “in 1960, when my dad was growing up, half of 30-year-olds were married and owned their home. Today, less than 15 percent of 30-year-olds are married and own their home.”
“If you can’t buy a home, can you really get married? If you can’t get married, can you really have kids? And if you can’t have kids, then what on earth is the point?” he asked. “And so I view home ownership really as the fulfillment of being able to start a God-fearing family.”
He thus made a policy proposal to divest from the foreign aid of billions of dollars sent to Israel and instead “then launch a $385 million statewide down payment assistance program so young married couples can get $10,000 toward the down payment of their home.”
Pledging to do his part in putting an end to large equity firms buying up single-family homes driving up prices and puts home ownership out of reach for many families, Fishback praised President Donald Trump’s recent announcement to take steps in this direction as well.
“A home is not merely another asset to be traded between hedge funds or private equity firms with overseas dollars from China. But it’s something that is actually foundational” for families and the common good, he said. “The dignity of home ownership must be protected … homes are for families, not for private equity, not for Airbnb and not for foreign nationals.”
American conservatives will likely be seeing and hearing much more from Fishback in the coming months as indicated by his announcement below that a recent interview with Tucker Carlson will be “dropping soon.”
Dropping soon 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aTx43HilVM
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) January 7, 2026
