Failed Florida gubernatorial candidate announces 2028 White House bid

Former Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback (R) said he plans to run for president in 2028.

“Last night, someone asked me ‘What do you plan on doing next?’ I told them the truth. I’m running for president,” Fishback wrote Wednesday on the social platform X , attaching a video of him announcing his presidential bid at an event.

The 41-second video clip shows Fishback’s announcement followed by a round of applause. The clip cuts off with him saying, “I’m only kidding.”

“My wife and I will soon visit Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina to hold public TownHalls. Soon after I will announce my final decision,” Fishback told The Hill in a statement on Wednesday.

Questions have been raised about Fishback’s eligibility to run for office. Newsmax reported he was born Jan. 1, 1995, making him 34 on Inauguration Day in 2029. The U.S. Constitution requires a president to be at least 35 .

The Florida Republican lost his gubernatorial bid to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who is running against Obama-endorsed Democratic nominee David Jolly in the upcoming elections. Fishback finished third in the Republican primary.

Recently, Fishback said he and his wife were stopped from entering a Republican rally in Clearwater, Fla. Local news reports said the rally was hosted by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and listed Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) as special guests.

Earlier this year, Fishback said his campaign was banned from Waffle House restaurants across Florida, after he announced in January that he planned to visit every Waffle House in the state to connect with voters over “hot coffee and warm waffles.” He has previously been criticized for alleged inappropriate behavior while on the campaign trail.

For his 2026 gubernatorial bid, Fishback ran his campaign on a vow to stop data centers, eliminate property taxes for Florida residents, raise pay for teachers and more.