Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Jay Collins announced he's filing a legal challenge against opponent James Fishback in Leon County court over his eligibility as a candidate for Florida governor, insisting that he doesn't meet Florida's Constitution’s seven-year residency requirement to run for office through a campaign release this week.
"We can't afford to play games with Florida's Constitution that would end up handing the Governor's Mansion to Democrat David Jolly on August 19," Collins said. "James Fishback has spent months telling Florida Republicans his polls show him in first place and that he meets Florida's constitutional residency requirements. If he's telling the truth, then this lawsuit should be the easiest thing he's done all campaign. If Fishback is lying, then it's Florida Republicans who have nothing to worry about, because they won't end up nominating someone who isn't even constitutionally eligible to serve as governor."
According to the Collins campaign via public records, Fishback was registered to vote and voted in Washington, D.C. between 2020 and 2026 and purchased property in D.C., which would disqualify him to run for governor under Florida law.
Fishback, a firebrand with a litany of controversial remarks on the campaign trail, also signed mortgage documents requiring him to occupy his D.C. property as his principal residence and received a D.C. Homestead Deduction tied to D.C. domicile and principal residence while living in the District during that time.
Federal law establishes criminal penalties for knowingly making false representations on mortgage documents, the campaign noted.
Moreover, the complaint asks the court to resolve the issue on an expedited basis and order the relief required by Florida law, including "removing Fishback from the ballot or, at a minimum, ensuring voters are notified that votes cast for Fishback will not count."
Lt. Gov. Collins is in a Republican primary with James Fishback, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), and former Florida House speaker Paul Renner.
The primary is Aug. 18.
You can read the full challenge here and the motion for an expedited hearing here.
