TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — James Fishback, a Republican candidate for Florida governor, issued a public ultimatum to Rep. Byron Donalds this week, claiming he possesses evidence of a felony committed by Donalds. Fishback said he will hold a press conference in Tallahassee on Thursday, Aug. 6, to release the evidence unless Donalds publicly addresses the accusations.
Fishback said a whistleblower approached his campaign with direct evidence implicating Donalds. He did not specify the nature of the alleged crime.
The claim comes as Donalds leads the Republican field for the 2026 Florida gubernatorial race. Donalds has secured an endorsement from President Trump and holds a strong position in fundraising and polling.
Fishback has accused Donalds of accepting $104 million in campaign contributions from large donors outside Florida. Among those, Fishback named Mark Zuckerberg as a donor who gave $5 million to Donalds' campaign, alleging the money was intended to support construction of data centers in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
RealClearPolitics averages show Fishback trailing Donalds by a wide margin, with Fishback registering 9 percent support among Republican voters.
The state Republican Party has largely favored Donalds, excluding Fishback from key political events. Fishback was not invited to June's Sunshine State Showdown, a major gathering for state Republicans.
Fishback previously worked at hedge fund Greenlight Capital from 2021 until his resignation in 2023.
