Episode
The Right's Meme Candidate Problem
- Podcast
- Restoring Order
- Published
- Feb 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2590
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.patrickcasey.com/p/the-rights-meme-candidate-problem
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Summary
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.patrickcasey.com On this episode of Restoring Order, I discuss right-wing meme candidates, arguing that they do not present a viable path forward for the right. I start with James Fishback, who’s running for governor of Florida. I examine Fishback’s positions on several key issues, including H-1Bs and Israel—positions that, curiously, changed after he decided to run for office. I also take a look at some of the sexual misconduct allegations against Fishback. Is there any substance to them? In the second half of the show (available to subscribers), I talk about Fishback's professional and financial issues. Unbeknownst to many, he received a large judgment after his former employer successfully sued him. I then take a quick look at the polling to see what chance, if any, Fishback has of winning. Switching gears, I discuss Casey Putsch, who is "running" for governor of Ohio. I put running in quotations because I couldn't find much evidence of anything resembling a campaign, let alone a single poll mentioning his name. Toward the end of the show, I take a trip down memory lane by reminiscing on Patrick Little and Paul Nehlen, two notorious meme candidates from 2018. I argue that, while these guys were clearly more insane, that at least made it harder to take them seriously. I conclude by outlining how someone could hypothetically run a doomed campaign that nevertheless has a positive impact on the right. What would that look like? Tune in to find out.