Turning Point USA Chapters Face Backlash for Hosting Controversial Candidate James Fishback

Turning Point USA chapters at Auburn University and the University of Mississippi have come under intense scrutiny for inviting James Fishback — a 31-year-old investor and former Republican candidate for Florida governor — to speak on their campuses. Critics say Fishback’s past remarks, which opponents have described as racist and antisemitic, make him a divisive figure whose appearances risk normalizing inflammatory rhetoric.

Campus Events and Reactions

Fishback spoke at Auburn on Tuesday and appeared at Ole Miss on Sept. 19 as part of what event pages identified as his “Next Chapter Tour.” The appearances prompted swift condemnation from public figures and advocacy groups. Former Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl called the invitation "disappointing" on X, saying Fishback’s comments about Rep. Byron Donalds were "unacceptable."

Controversial Remarks Cited by Critics

Opponents cited several high-profile incidents from Fishback’s recent public record:

• During his campaign launch in Tallahassee on Nov. 24, 2025, Fishback reportedly said Donalds was "a slave to his donors," a comment widely criticized as racially insensitive (Tampa Bay 28).
• In February, Fishback posted a video of himself firing an AR-15–style rifle and tagged Donalds with the caption, "Pull up. Let's see if you're actually black," according to Florida Politics.
• He compared abortion to the Holocaust at an Ole Miss event, saying, "Abortion is a holocaust, and by every single historical metric available, it was worse than the other one," a remark that drew rebuke from Jewish groups and the Combat Antisemitism Movement (The Times of Israel).
• At the University of Central Florida, Fishback used the term "goyslop" to describe cafeteria food — a word the Anti-Defamation League says stems from antisemitic conspiracy theories — and criticized politicians who visit Israel’s Western Wall as "kissing a stupid wall."
• In April, Fishback told a Black man who questioned him about allegations related to a relationship that the man "should be lynched." When asked later by The Atlantic, Fishback said, "I think anyone should be executed" for making what he described as false allegations. Fishback has denied that the relationship began before the woman was 18 and has rejected charges of antisemitism in subsequent statements.

Campus Leaders Defend Forum, Critics Worry About Message

Kent Tonos, president of TPUSA’s Ole Miss chapter, defended the invite as an opportunity for students to engage with differing viewpoints, telling The Daily Mississippian that hosting a speaker is not an endorsement of every one of their statements. Other critics — including conservative online voices — argued the appearances could be used by Fishback to dissuade students from supporting Republican nominees and to undercut the party in the general election.

Organizational Involvement Unclear

Fishback is not listed among advertised speakers on TPUSA’s national “America: Love It or Leave It” fall tour page, and it remains unclear whether TPUSA’s national headquarters approved, funded, or coordinated the chapter-level invitations. Newsmax has reached out to TPUSA and Fishback for comment.

Context: The debate highlights the tension on college campuses between protecting open dialogue and preventing platforms for language many consider hateful or demeaning. Student organizations, university officials, and community leaders continue to wrestle with where to draw that line.