2026 Elections

The flock around Ken Gay just got another member. Former Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has endorsed Gay for Hillsborough County School Board District 6, calling him a “conservative” candidate in a post on his X account.

Fishback spent much of his 2026 campaign building attention through inflammatory rhetoric. Axios reported him saying, “White genocide is real.” At the same time, other coverage documented his use of “Great Replacement” themes and his support from far-right figures and online communities. He ultimately finished third in the Republican gubernatorial primary with 10.5% of the vote.

An endorsement doesn’t mean Gay shares every belief Fishback holds. But when you add Fishback to the list of conservative figures already lining up behind Gay, the old phrase keeps coming back: birds of a feather. At some point, you have to look at the flock.