A Ted Cruz-aligned political nonprofit announced a $400,000 ad campaign targeting Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback over antisemitic statements as the August 18 primary nears.
The Front Line, described as a political nonprofit group aligned with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, announced the spending on July 11 to blast Fishback for making antisemitic remarks. The 36-second ad features Fishback as an AI-generated talking bass and is scheduled to stream in major broadcast markets during a World Cup match.
The ad pulls direct quotes from Fishback’s public statements and social media. In it, one fisherman asks another: “Do you want to throw this fish back?” after landing the talking Fishback bass. The second fisherman responds: “We can’t throw this fish back — he’ll ruin the other fish.” The spot includes Fishback saying “White genocide is real” and pledging not to enforce Florida’s antisemitism law if elected.
Fishback has faced sustained criticism over antisemitic language used in campaign content. He referred to junk food as “goyslop,” an antisemitic internet term combining “goy” (a non-Jewish person) with “slop.” When pressed on the slur, Fishback said he was joking and that the term was meant to be amusing. He has also said he condemns hatred of Jews and that he will fight to protect Floridians from all religious backgrounds.
Arielle F. Kelpach, The Front Line’s executive director, said in a statement that Fishback “has embraced being an antisemitic troll because he thinks it’s a path to success in modern American politics.” She added: “In our party and for the voters of this state, that’s a cartoon position worthy of ridicule and electoral humiliation.”
The ad underscores how antisemitism has become a major issue within the Republican Party. The Front Line framed this as its first commercial in a sustained campaign targeting right-wing antisemitism. The group’s decision to make its first expenditure in Florida—and its visible support for Cruz—signals that the Texas senator’s supporters are laying groundwork for his expected 2028 presidential bid. Florida, President Trump’s home state, has a large population of Jewish voters, donors, and thought leaders.
In Florida’s GOP gubernatorial race, Fishback is badly trailing Rep. Byron Donalds in primary polls. Recent polling showed Donalds at 48 percent support, nearly 40 points ahead of the rest of the Republican field. Despite trailing, Fishback has shown a knack for generating national attention, often with antisemitic and bigoted rhetoric that has earned coverage in outlets including The New York Times and USA Today.
Fishback responded to the ad on July 11, saying: “I’ve consistently condemned hatred against Jewish Americans. As governor, I’ll fight to protect Floridians from all religious backgrounds. The ad is admittedly amusing, but it’s just the latest sign that the establishment is worried we’ll win on August 18th.” He has argued that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism, a position that critics say conflates legitimate criticism of Israeli policy with hostility toward Jewish people.
Sources
- Axios — reported on The Front Line’s $400,000 ad buy, the ad content featuring Fishback as a talking bass, quotes from the ad, Kelpach’s statement, Fishback’s response, and context on antisemitism in the GOP
- Tallahassee Democrat — confirmed Fishback’s use of “goyslop” and his denial of antisemitism allegations
- Florida GOP — official statement rescinding Fishback’s invitation to party events due to antisemitic and racist attacks
- Wikipedia — confirmed the Florida GOP primary election date of August 18, 2026
- Florida Politics — reported Byron Donalds polling at 48 percent, nearly 40 points ahead of the GOP field
