world
Florida Republican Files Challenge to Rival Candidate's Residency
A Florida Republican candidate filed a legal challenge Monday questioning whether another Republican meets the state's seven-year residency requirement for governor. The complaint cites voter registration and tax records from Washington, D.C.
vox.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Florida law requires gubernatorial candidates to have lived in the state for at least seven years before the election. Candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot must have resided in Florida since at least November 3, 2019.
The complaint states Fishback registered to vote in Washington, D.C., in 2020. It alleges he purchased a condominium there in 2021, executed a deed of trust listing it as his primary residence, and received a D.C. Homestead Deduction through the 2026 tax year. Officials in the District of Columbia issued Fishback a corrected property tax bill in April 2026 that removed the Homestead Deduction.
"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 in a statement. Fishback posted an image of his driver's license on X showing a Florida address since 2016.
He called the challenge "a desperate and illegal attempt to stop our momentum" and said he is a fourth-generation Floridian. Fishback also faces competition from Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds in the August 18 Republican primary to replace Governor Ron DeSantis.
Current polls show Donalds leading Fishback by 46 points and Collins by 49 points.
