Florida Governor Candidate Calls Kotel a "Stupid Wall" and The Internet Goes Crazy
Florida Governor candidate James Fishback faces brutal backlash after denigrating the Kotel as a "stupid wall." Critics and Jewish groups slam the "disgusting" remarks and the cheering crowd.
Republican candidate for Florida governor James Fishback has faced widespread condemnation after referring to the Kotel, Judaism's holiest prayer site, as a "stupid wall" during a recent campaign speech.
The comments, made at the University of Central Florida (UCF) on February 5, 2026, were part of a discussion on prioritizing economic ties with trading partners like Brazil over visits to Israel. "I will not visit the state of Israel," Fishback stated in the speech. "I’d rather go to Brazil and other countries to bring jobs to Florida, and not visit countries just to kiss a stupid wall."
Video footage of the event shows audience members cheering the remark, which has since circulated widely online, intensifying backlash from Jewish organizations and political figures.
StopAntisemitism, a U.S.-based organization combating antisemitism, expressed strong disapproval in a post on X: "StopAntisemitism is disgusted to see James Fishback, candidate for Florida Governor, denigrate the Kotel, the holiest site to the Jewish people. Listen to the incel groypers he’s preaching to [respond] with applause."
The group highlighted the audience's reaction, suggesting the comment was aimed at energizing certain online communities. Civil rights lawyer and former Fox News contributor Leo Terrell condemned the statement, saying it "made my blood boil" and urged others to call it out, noting that similar remarks about sacred sites of other religions would not be tolerated. Terrell had previously described visiting the Kotel as a career highlight.
Bryan E. Leib, a former congressional candidate and Newsmax contributor, called the remark "ignorant and offensive" in an op-ed published on February 6, 2026, urging Florida Republicans to reject it as a "character reveal" rather than policy.
Leib questioned why the Florida GOP and other leaders had not yet condemned Fishback, adding that the candidate was implying millions of Florida voters who have visited the Kotel "are not worthy to be Americans."
Fishback, a hedge fund manager who announced his gubernatorial bid in 2025, has drawn prior controversy, but this incident hasn't done him any favors, particularly in Florida, home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the U.S.
Critics, including Leib, described the comment not as "edgy" but as a deliberate provocation crossing into antisemitism.
Fishback has not publicly responded to the backlash.