Former Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback (R) says he and his wife were blocked from entering a Get Out the Vote rally in Clearwater on Saturday, an event hosted by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and featuring Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.). Fishback told local outlet CBS 12 that when he tried to enter the venue, he was told he was “not welcome here.”
Fishback, who lost the Republican primary to Donalds earlier this year, expressed outrage at the treatment, noting that he has attended events with Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bernie Sanders without incident. “It is disgraceful that Byron Donalds would threaten to arrest us for attending a political event open to the public,” he said.
But Donalds’ campaign communications director, Gates McGavick, pushed back forcefully on social media, calling Fishback’s account “a lie.” McGavick wrote that “it wasn’t even Byron’s event,” and that Donalds “did not kick anyone out, much less threaten anyone with arrest.”
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, which provided security at the rally, told CBS 12 that Luna’s staff informed deputies that Fishback was not welcome, but that no arrest threat was made. The sheriff’s office did not elaborate on why Fishback was unwelcome.
This incident comes amid a heated political season in Florida, where Donald Trump has stumped for Donalds and Moody in the state, underscoring the high stakes of the upcoming elections. The rally in Clearwater was part of a broader push to mobilize voters, with Luna, Donalds, and Moody all on the ballot in November.
Fishback’s campaign has been marked by controversy. Earlier this year, he announced plans to visit every Waffle House in Florida to connect with voters over “hot coffee and warm waffles,” but later claimed his campaign was banned from the chain statewide. He has also faced criticism for alleged inappropriate behavior and racist remarks while on the trail.
The dispute over the rally is the latest flashpoint in a bitter intraparty rivalry. Donalds, a staunch Trump ally, defeated Fishback decisively in the August primary, and the two have clashed repeatedly since. Fishback’s allegations, though denied by Donalds’ team, have fueled tensions among Florida Republicans as they rally around their nominees.
Political analysts note that such public spats can complicate unified messaging, especially in a state where public health concerns and other issues are competing for attention. The rally itself proceeded without disruption, according to local reports.
Neither Luna’s office nor the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to requests for further comment. Fishback has not indicated whether he will pursue any formal complaint.
