11.02.2026 11:43
James Fishback, the Republican candidate for governor of Florida, who said he would cut funding to Israel, claimed that the fire in front of his house was deliberately set and challenged those who threatened him. Fishback stated, "If you threaten us, if you lay a hand on even one of our volunteers, we won't wait for the police, we will shoot you with an AR-15. We have the right to defend ourselves."
James Fishback, a candidate for the Florida governorship from the Republican Party, reacted strongly by describing the alleged arson incident targeting his home after he announced he would cut funding to Israel as a "political attack." Fishback challenged those targeting him and his supporters with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, stating, "We have the right to defend ourselves."
"THE FIRE WAS SET INTENTIONALLY"
According to a statement from Fishback's campaign, the fire that broke out in his front yard in Madison County on Sunday evening may have been "set intentionally." Authorities stated that the fire department brought the fire under control and that there was no significant damage to the house.
HE TOOK THE AR-15 AND THREATENED OPENLY
After the incident, Fishback shared a video on social media showing him standing in front of his house with a Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle, using strong language against those voicing the attack allegations. According to a news outlet, Fishback warned in the video with statements similar to "We will shoot you dead."
During his campaign, Fishback is in the spotlight for controversial policies such as cutting funding to Israel, opposing the H-1B visa program, and proposing high taxes for OnlyFans content creators. These statements are seen as factors that increase the tension during the campaign period.