Speaker
James Fishback
Appearances over time
1 episodes
Episodes
1
Podcasts
Quotes & moments
James Fishback claimed Florida has 1.4 million illegal aliens occupying housing that drives up rents for working Floridians.
James Fishback noted that Governor DeSantis signed four consecutive smaller state budgets while county governments like Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach continue to grow spending.
James Fishback stated that property tax revenue in Florida increased 76% over the last five years, representing a $20 billion increase, while government services did not improve proportionally.
James Fishback argued the cost to eliminate all property taxes for Florida residents is $18 billion — less than the $20 billion increase in recent collections — making abolition financially feasible.
James Fishback claimed that 117,000 single-family homes in Florida are owned by private equity, removing them from the purchase market and driving up housing costs.
All three candidates frame this race as a battle to preserve and extend Ron DeSantis's legacy. Collins calls it a test of leadership under pressure; Renner touts his record as House Speaker; Fishback says he's only running because DeSantis can't.
Florida police use Flock cameras — part of a 100,000-camera national AI network — to catch criminals and find missing children. But Fishback would ban them entirely alongside Palantir, warning they could have been used to track families who took their kids to the park during COVID. Collins supports them with local accountability guardrails.
Fishback's plan to eliminate foreign student influence: raise tuition for foreign students to $1 million per year. If they can't pay, they won't come, and Florida kids get their spots back. Renner would ban Chinese professors and students outright. Both cited Confucius Institutes as a failed experiment.
Florida property tax revenue has grown 76% in five years — a $20 billion jump — while services haven't kept pace. Fishback argues the full abolition of property tax costs only $18 billion, less than the revenue increase, funded by cutting local government fat.
Renner's closing pitch is built around a 'Contract with Florida': eliminate homestead property taxes up to a $1 million assessment for 95% of homeowners, cut insurance rates 20% through targeted reforms, and ban hyperscale data centers on day one. He's the only candidate claiming prior budget-balancing experience.
The frontrunner raised $100 million and polls near 60% — but all three rivals skewered him for skipping. Collins calls it cowardice, Renner calls it disqualifying given his taxpayer-funded campaign, and Fishback argues the polls are manufactured.
Fishback wants a statewide ban on all experimental data centers, period. Collins insists the state should set guardrails but leave decisions to local governments. The crowd's live poll: 85% oppose data centers. Nobody fully agrees on where the line is.
The candidates played a grocery price-guessing game with real Florida prices: eggs, milk, gas, Big Mac, diapers, rent. Collins won with 4 correct guesses — he knew a Big Mac costs nearly $14. Fishback knew his milk prices from Publix trips. Renner knew his diaper budget cold.
Fishback recounted meeting a Florida State University student with a 4.0 GPA in computer science who was rejected by Amazon because the company was exclusively hiring H-1B workers. His warning to Florida's 1,900 H-1B employers: hire Floridians or face state consequences.
Collins delivered the harshest attack on Byron Donalds of the night, calling him a two-time felon who wanted to raise the felony theft threshold from $750 to $1,500 and eulogized George Floyd — a page still on his congressional website. Collins called it disqualifying for a Florida law-and-order candidate.
Fishback accused Collins's campaign of hiring a Montana man with a California lawyer to sue to remove him from the ballot, calling it election theft. Collins deflected by saying it's a matter for the courts. The exchange devolved into accusations about residency, judicial respect, and who's really trying to steal the election.
Florida has the highest property insurance rates in America after more than 12 companies exited. Renner points to tort reform receipts and the My Safe Florida Home grant program; Fishback wants to personally call CEOs; Collins zeroes in on fraud.
Analysis
What they talk about
- Government 72%
- Business 14%
- Religion & Spirituality 14%
Connections
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