A Republican contender entering Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race is facing renewed scrutiny following recent court filings and past actions by a major school district that have resurfaced allegations involving a former teenage employee.
James Fishback, an investment executive and founder of the youth debate organization Incubate Debate, has been accused by a former employee of engaging in an inappropriate relationship while she was underage.
The allegations appear in amended court records filed in April 2025 and were first reported by Florida Politics, with additional reporting by NBC News and The Daily Caller.
Fishback has denied the claims and maintains that he was cleared through the legal process.
According to the filings, Keinah Fort alleges that her professional relationship with Fishback became personal in 2022, when she was 17 years old.
She claimed Fishback instructed her to keep the relationship private.
The documents further state that after Fort turned 18, the two lived together briefly and became engaged.
Fort also alleged that Fishback displayed volatile behavior during the relationship and continued contacting her after it ended.
A judge earlier this year denied Fort’s request for a protection order, ruling that the legal threshold for stalking had not been met.
Fishback has strongly rejected the accusations.
In a written statement to The Daily Caller News Foundation, he said, “These allegations from several years ago are completely false, and after two lengthy court hearings… I was fully exonerated. I have never been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime.”
He has also claimed that Fort experienced mental health issues prior to their relationship.
Separate from the court proceedings, Broward County Public Schools confirmed that it discontinued its association with Fishback and Incubate Debate in 2022 after concerns involving a minor were raised.
The district told NBC News that Fishback’s involvement with school-related activities ended that same year.
Fishback disputes the characterization, saying he never formally volunteered with the district.
Fishback also addressed the reporting on X, calling NBC’s coverage a “silly hit piece” and insisting that claims about the school district cutting ties with Incubate Debate were false.
He described the reports as politically motivated and asserted that the campaign is being targeted because it poses a threat to the media’s preferred narrative.
Concerns from parents and students reportedly followed a debate-related trip to a Fishback family property in Winter Haven.
Emails reviewed by NBC News show that participants contacted school officials after observing interactions between Fishback and Fort that they found troubling.
One student told the outlet the pair appeared to behave “more like a couple than student and mentor,” prompting concerns that something inappropriate was occurring.
Fallout from the allegations extended to Incubate Debate’s leadership.
Advisory board member Nicole Castillo resigned in early 2023, citing the claims in her resignation letter.
She stated that the organization lost access to a tournament venue after school administrators became aware of the allegations and barred the group from operating on campus.
Fishback later acknowledged that he did not inform the advisory board about the allegations at the time but insisted they lacked merit.
Court filings cited by TDC state that Florida’s Department of Children and Families reviewed the matter and declined to take action.
Despite the controversy, Fishback has launched his gubernatorial bid as a political outsider, branding himself as a conservative reformer.
His campaign has drawn additional attention for provocative social media remarks directed at Republican primary rival Rep. Byron Donalds and for a proposal tied to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has not endorsed a candidate in the race, and his office has declined to comment.
As the Republican primary field begins to take shape, the resurfacing of these allegations is expected to remain part of the broader conversation surrounding Fishback’s candidacy.
