Florida Republicans, it’s past time to call out white nationalism | Opinion

The Republican Party must call out white nationalism — especially when it comes from inside the party.

That has becoming increasingly obvious with the rise of James Fishback and his gubernatorial campaign in Florida.

An investor and Republican candidate for governor, Fishback has built his campaign around outrage. He hasn’t raised much money and has virtually no chance of winning election, but his online strategy of flirting with white nationalist subcultures has gotten him noticed. Republicans are alarmed, and they should be.

At its core, conservatism is about liberty, individual freedom and equal protection under the Constitution. Those ideals are incompatible with movements trafficking in racial hierarchy, religious supremacy or ethnonationalism. You can’t defend the Constitution while supporting ideologies that reject its moral foundation.

But here we are.

Fishback’s praise for the “Groyper” movement, an alt-right online movement led by Nick Fuentes — a white nationalist and Holocaust denier — aren’t harmless fringe antics. His actions are part of a larger online ecosystem where attention is currency and provocation is the goal. Social media algorithms amplify extremism and rage bait. The more offensive the rhetoric, the further it spreads.

As a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates, a nonprofit that studies far-right political movements, Ben Lorber told the Miami Herald, “Fishback is sending a clear message to white nationalist groups: “I’m your guy.’”

The danger is that extremist views like Fishback’s can become normalized — not by winning elections, but through repetition and by political parties turning a blind eye.

Some argue that Fishback should be ignored. But that’s dangerous. Extremist ideas don’t need to be held by someone in office in order to cause damage. The ideas only need to be left unchallenged long enough to gain traction. In a video posted on X last month, Fishback said, “It’s okay to be white” — a reference to white nationalism.

Fishback has also made racially charged attacks on Republican gubernatorial opponent Rep. Byron Donalds, referring to him as “By’rone” in post on X a few weeks ago and saying he “wants to turn Florida into a Section 8.” Such comments, in addition to being divisive and offensive, also signal a hostility toward minorities. That’s the last thing the Republican Party should be allowing.

The issue isn’t that extremists exist; they always have. The danger is when Republicans hesitate to call extremism out. That reluctance damages the party.

A party can’t function as a governing coalition in Florida while tolerating rhetoric — either through dog whistling or explicitly — that excludes certain groups of people. Political parties get smaller when they’re built on exclusion.

To win elections, the party needs to expand. Under President Donald Trump, the Republican Party has become more diverse and made gains with Black and Latino voters in 2024. But the 2026 midterms are looking precarious. The GOP shouldn’t risk losing more of its base because extremist views are left unchecked.

Republican leaders whom I’ve spoken with tell me they’re worried about the rise of white nationalism and antisemitism growing within the party. I don’t blame them.

There’s still time to draw a line. White nationalism must be called out — clearly and without exception.

Calling it out isn’t ideological policing. It’s important to the party’s moral stance — and it’s politically necessary. Don’t forget there’s a mid-term election coming, and the indications for Republicans are worrisome.

If the Florida GOP wants to maintain its role as the governing party, this moment demands courage. Otherwise, it risks being defined — and shrunk — by extremists.

Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com

This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 3:26 PM.