{"id":91844,"date":"2026-03-06T17:56:34","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T22:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/?p=91844"},"modified":"2026-03-06T18:48:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T23:48:01","slug":"ihop-denies-inviting-florida-gop-candidate-who-said-americans-shouldnt-die-for-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/ihop-denies-inviting-florida-gop-candidate-who-said-americans-shouldnt-die-for-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"IHOP denies inviting Florida GOP candidate who said \u2018Americans shouldn\u2019t die for Israel\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By ANDREW LAPIN<\/p>\n<p>(JTA) \u2014 James Fishback, the fringe GOP candidate courting the online far right in his long-shot bid for governor of Florida, had a bit of food-service drama this week \u2014 and it wasn\u2019t about the \u201cgoyslop\u201d he previously claimed was being served in the state\u2019s school cafeterias.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_91845\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91845\" class=\"wp-image-91845 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-300x196.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-1024x669.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-768x502.png 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP.png 1381w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/196;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91845\" class=\"wp-image-91845 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-300x196.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-1024x669.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP-768x502.png 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP.png 1381w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-91845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the venue as IHOP hosts its &#8220;20K for Pancake Day&#8221; event at the Santa Monica Pier&nbsp; on March 1, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. (Presley Ann\/Getty Images for IHOP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Waffle House, he alleged, had banned him from every restaurant in the state after he announced his intent to campaign at the chain\u2019s Florida locations. The reason, he claimed, was because he said that \u201cAmericans shouldn\u2019t die for Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But not to worry, Fishback quickly announced: Another breakfast chain, International House of Pancakes, had extended an invitation to him personally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHey, wanna come over?\u201d reads a direct message Fishback posted to social media, a photo of which appears to come from IHOP\u2019s official corporate account. An elated Fishback soon posted photos from a campaign stop at an IHOP, which he deemed \u201cInternational House of Patriots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not so, an IHOP spokesperson told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince our founding, IHOP and its franchisees have been committed to providing warm and welcoming dining experiences for all guests. We are not working with James Fishback or his campaign in any capacity,\u201d the spokesperson told JTA in an email. \u201cAdditionally, we have confirmed that the image circulating on social media is not authentic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-91846 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-300x286.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"286\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta.png 1316w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/286;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-91846 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-300x286.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IHOP_insta.png 1316w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a>Asked by JTA why he had made his earlier \u201cgoyslop\u201d comments, Fishback replied, \u201cBecause it\u2019s funny. Get a life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fishback did not return a request for comment by JTA about IHOP\u2019s claim. The former investment banker has used terms on the campaign trail considered dogwhistles to the online far right&nbsp;and boasts a large online profile that has included interviews with Tucker Carlson and antisemitic podcaster Myron Gaines. He has also praised the followers of antisemitic streamer Nick Fuentes.<\/p>\n<p>He then posted the exchange to his X account under the caption, \u201cJournalists are insufferable.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier in the same conversation, asked about recently revealed racist and antisemitic messages from a Florida Young Republicans regional group chat, Fishback replied, \u201cI condemn all forms of hatred.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"IHOP%20denies%20inviting%20Florida%20GOP%20candidate%20who%20said%20%E2%80%98Americans%20shouldn%E2%80%99t%20die%20for%20Israel%E2%80%99\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":91845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[15088,15089,8790,8795,8788,15087],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91844"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91844"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91847,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91844\/revisions\/91847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}