James Fishback

Birth Name: James Thomas Fishback

Place of Birth: Davie, Florida, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 1, 1995

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Irish, Slovak, Czech, distant German
*mother – Columbian [Spanish, other]

James Fishback is an American businessperson, investor, and far-right politician. He is a candidate for the 2026 Florida Gubernatorial election, in the Republican Party.

He is the son of Aydee Esther and Jay Thomas Fishback, who owned a landscaping business and was a bus driver. His father is American, and is of approximately one quarter English, one quarter Irish, and one half Eastern European [Slovak, Czech], descent, along with distant German roots. James’ mother is from Colombia. A picture of his mother can be seen here. James spent some summers in Colombia. He is Catholic, and speaks Spanish. He is married to Valeria.

James has been reported to be a descendant of lawyer and politician William Meade Fishback, who was Governor of Arkansas, from January 14, 1893 to January 18, 1895. The two are actually distant cousins.

James’ paternal grandfather was Clifford Lincoln “Cliff” Fishback, Jr. (the son of Clifford Lincoln Fishback, Sr. and Marguerite Doyle). James’ grandfather Clifford was born in Washington, D.C. James’ great-grandfather Clifford was born in D.C., the son of John Howard Fishback, who had English roots in Colonial Virginia; and of Mildred/Millie A. Bickford, who was born in Canada, with English roots in Colonial New England. James’ great-grandmother Marguerite was born in Maryland, the daughter of Michael James Doyle, who was Irish; and of Elizabeth M., who was born in Maryland, also to Irish parents.

James’ paternal grandmother was Helen Monasky (the daughter of Joseph Edward Monasky and Mary Turanek). Helen was born in Binghamton, New York, and appears to have been of ethnic Slovak and Czech descent. Joseph was born in Pennsylvania, to parents from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, John Mohnasky and Katrina Kacsmar. James’ great-grandmother Mary was born in Kutti, Nyitra, Hungary, the daughter of Joannes Turanek and Helena Simek.

James’ maternal grandfather’s surname likely was Cervantes.

Sources: Obituary of James’ paternal grandfather, Clifford Lincoln “Cliff” Fishback, Jr. – https://legacy.com

Obituary of James’ paternal grandmother, Helen (Monasky) Fishback – https://tmralph.com