Attorney General James Uthmeier is speaking out against James Fishback calling U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds a “slave” as a line of attack in the Governor’s race.
Republicans have been slow to comment on Fishback’s remarks, but Uthmeier condemned them when asked about Fishback’s attack on the man who could be Florida’s first Black Governor.
“I think somebody that’s going to call a Black candidate a slave clearly has some intentionality there. I think it’s gross. I don’t think there’s any room for that in Republican politics. It’s certainly not my brand of politics,” the Attorney General said during a news conference.
“I’m not going to give somebody like that any real attention, ’cause it’s not worth it. It’s not worth it to give them a platform, and I think the Congressman’s probably doing the same thing.”
Fishback has made a number of racially charged attacks on Donalds, calling him “By’rone” and a “DEI Republican,” and saying Donalds is a “slave to the corporate interests, to the tech bros.”
Fishback doubled down when challenged on the word “slave,” calling Donalds a “tether” with “no right to be complaining about me calling him a slave when he has absolutely no direct descendant of slavery in his family.”
As one of five Black Republicans elected to the current Congress, Donalds was a key part of President Donald Trump’s campaign, specifically regarding outreach to Black men, many of whom broke ranks with the Democratic Party and ultimately helped Trump defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in swing states. Trump endorsed Donalds early and has affirmed his support since.