After announcing its endorsement of Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback on Wednesday, the MAHA Institute quickly retracted the endorsement.
[NOTE: MAHA Institute is one of the MAHA movement’s political advocacy organizations, spreading HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “message on healthy food and vaccine safety.”]
On Thursday, the MAHA Institute posted on X: “MAHA
Statement on the Florida Governor’s Race MAHA endorsements are made through a deliberate process. The endorsement for the Governor of Florida failed to follow that process and is therefore retracted.”
MAHA
MAHA
— MAHA Institute (@MAHA_Institute) June 19, 2026
On Wednesday when Fishback accepted the endorsement from MAHA Institute, he said: “Together we will fight for health freedom, ending vaccine mandates, legalizing raw milk, holding pesticide manufacturers accountable, and stopping Big Pharma from overmedicating our kids.”
I am honored to accept the official endorsement of the @MAHA_Institute.
Together we will fight for health freedom, ending vaccine mandates, legalizing raw milk, holding pesticide manufacturers accountable, and stopping Big Pharma from overmedicating our kids. https://t.co/gcHS9XYU9I pic.twitter.com/UgLYnJ8tBp
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) June 18, 2026
Fishback is running against Trump-endorsed U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL), DeSantis-endorsed Lt. Governor Jay Collins, and Paul Renner in the GOP primary, which will take place on August 18. The winner of the primary will likely face Democratic candidate and former Republican congressman David Jolly.
[NOTE: A new McLoughlin & Associates poll shows Donalds winning 54% of the GOP primary votes, Fishback winning 8%, Collins winning 5%, Renner winning 2%, and 31% in the “don’t know” category.]
In December, MAHA endorsed GOP Iowa gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn, six months before President Trump endorsed Lahn’s opponent, Rep. Randy Feenstra. Lahn won the primary this month, and will face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in the general election.
According to Politico, “Republican strategists downplayed MAHA’s role in Lahn’s victory, arguing Lahn’s shoe-leather campaigning, Feenstra’s refusal to debate him, and Lahn’s endorsement by Turning Point USA.”
Former Iowa Republican Party co-chair David Oman said: “I would give [MAHA] some credit, obviously, but I wouldn’t give them all of the credit. Most Iowans don’t wake up or go to bed thinking about MAHA or distinguishing it from MAGA.”
