Republicans, the Florida Governor’s Mansion Isn’t Eighth-Grade Student Council

justmindy | 7:30 PM on July 31, 2026

I'm a Floridian, so I should pay much more attention to the Governor's race upcoming. I haven't because I'm in denial. I don't want to lose Governor DeSantis and I feel like he is not easily replaced. Alas, rules are rules and he'll have to go. I will vote for the person Republicans choose in the primary. I do know that much.

Today, this clip of a James Fishback interview graced my timeline and I had to shake my head.

The Governor of Rumble, James Fishback, promises Beardson that he'll fill every school with PS5s and give out free movie tickets if he wins pic.twitter.com/UQ1lxBsPBo
— Jaden McNeil (@JadenPMcNeil) July 31, 2026

James Fishback just proposed 'Fun Friday'. That's been happening for all of time. When I used to teach, we had Fun Friday. The kids who worked hard and attended school that week got to play games or have extra outside time on Friday as an incentive for good behavior.

Guess what? The same kids always got the prizes. It was the same kids who would have done their work and come to school anyway. Invariably, the kids who didn't qualify would complain, their parents always thought it wasn't fair and the principal received constant complaints because some kid or the other was excluded.

If he promises to sign a No Homework resolution on Day 1, he'll sweep Mrs. Davis's homeroom and the student council elites know it https://t.co/Ar8b36P6Wj
— Vials (@hisbelovedsleep) July 31, 2026

Also, many Florida high schools have 2,000 kids. Does James Fishback really think five PS5s per school is going to be groundbreaking? Maybe 30 kids per school could play. Also, the valedictorians and the salutatorians will be the winners every week. There is already plenty of incentives to do well built into high school.

A more mature proposal might be suggesting more partnerships with trade schools for kids who are not flourishing in an academic environment and who do not plan to attend college. Maybe additional SAT and ACT prep classes for kids who do want to go to college but can't get their scores high enough. Perhaps, seminars for families to attend before their kids start 9th grade so they fully understand the requirements for the 'Bright Future' program and students can qualify for free or reduced college.

Buying video games consoles and having popcorn parties or providing free movie tickets is throwing 'stuff' at the wall and hoping something sticks.

Fishback proposes taking money out of Florida’s pension funds in order to buy PS5s and movie tickets for high schoolers.

No, I’m not being hyperbolic. That’s literally his proposal in this video. https://t.co/w6PbRx271R
— Max 📟 (@MaxNordau) July 31, 2026

If he's trying to look unserious, he's doing a great job.

He also goes on to imply that school districts can't afford video game consoles because the money is currently tied up in aid for Israel

a very serious person running a very serious gubernatorial campaign https://t.co/JXIrOgCYno
— VJ Maxwell 📡 (@vortmax79) July 31, 2026

Schools are mostly funded by property taxes. Unless Israel owns houses in Florida and therefore pays property tax, money from Israel has nothing to do with funding our schools.