Collins Sues to Remove James Fishback From Florida GOP Governor Ballot

The lawsuit asks a Leon County judge for an expedited ruling that could bar Fishback under Florida’s seven‑year residency rule and alter the Republican primary field.

Overview

The complaint, filed Monday, June 29, 2026, asks the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County for an expedited hearing to decide whether Fishback meets Florida’s seven‑year durational residency requirement for governor.
Collins’ filing cites public records that it says show Fishback registered and voted in Washington, D.C., bought a D.C. condo and signed mortgage paperwork claiming it as his principal residence, and received a D.C. homestead tax deduction that was later removed in a corrected bill in April 2026.
Fishback denied the allegations and posted a 2016 Florida driver’s license to social media, calling the suit baseless and an illegal attempt to stop his campaign while accusing Collins of acting on behalf of rival Byron Donalds.
Polling shows U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds far ahead in the Republican primary, so the case could matter more for ballot composition and campaign strategy than for the front‑runner’s standing.
Under Florida law courts can remove ineligible candidates from ballots, and the dispute turns on documentary proof of domicile and timing, so the judge’s schedule and any agency records introduced in court will determine whether Fishback stays on the August primary ballot.