(LifeSiteNews) — Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback announced Tuesday he has consecrated his campaign to the Sacred Heart of Jesus , claiming the move to be the first of its kind in state history.
“Today my wife Valeria and I went to a local Catholic parish, met with the priest, and we did something that no other campaign in the history of our state has ever done. We dedicated our campaign entirely, in its totality, unequivocally, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ,” Fishback said in a video clip of a campaign speech posted to X.
I am proud to announce that my wife and I today, have done something no campaign has ever done.
We have consecrated this campaign to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. pic.twitter.com/gNXUhNDEOW
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) June 2, 2026
In a corresponding Facebook post, he quoted Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
Both posts received a range of positive and negative comments, with some taking it as a sincere and courageous affirmation of faith, and others panning it as a cynical use of religion to attract votes.
An investment management entrepreneur, Fishback has campaigned as an aggressive social conservative, vowing that if elected he would completely ban abortion in the Sunshine State and proposing a 50 percent “sin tax” on revenue derived from user content platform OnlyFans, which is primarily a vehicle for pornography.
But his campaign has also been a magnet for controversy, including alleged business improprieties, allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor, claims of exaggerating his prominence in President Donald Trump’s orbit, and praising followers of white nationalist internet provocateur Nick Fuentes as “incredibly informed and insightful.”
The Florida GOP’s gubernatorial primary has been a topic of national interest among conservatives given it will determine who is tasked with carrying on the legacy of term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely considered the most proactive conservative officeholder in the country and has been credited with turning a former purple state deep red.
Fishback is running against U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19), Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.
So far, no candidate has fully satisfied conservative voters, as evidenced by the bitter ongoing debate on social media about the contenders’ defects, both real and imagined. Collins, for example, is officially pro-life, but recently downplayed the issue, saying he was not “hyper focused” on banning abortion but saying he would be “willing to have a discussion” on strengthening the existing pro-life laws.
Donalds, meanwhile, has been faulted for a number of past liberal stances, including promoting the false claim that DeSantis’s educational reforms taught there were positive aspects to slavery, support for some Black Lives Matter claims, and support for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
The debate appears to be largely academic, as Donalds – who enjoys the critical Trump endorsement – currently has a 30-point lead over his opponents, who are all in the single digits. DeSantis has yet to endorse any candidate.