Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback said it is a “big fat lie” to claim that food stamps make Americans better off, arguing that rising enrollment reflects a weak economy rather than improved living standards.
Fishback made the remarks in a posted on his social media that included a segment from a CNN NewsNight interview aired in November during a government shutdown that disrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding.
“In 2000, there were 17 million Americans on food stamps. Today, there are 42 million,” Fishback wrote. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), roughly 17.2 million people participated in SNAP in fiscal 2000, and about 41.7 million people participated in 2024.
USDA data also show that SNAP participation as a share of the U.S. population has risen from roughly 6 percent in 2000 to about 12 percent in 2024, reflecting broader reliance on government nutrition assistance over the past two decades.
It’s a *big fat lie* to claim that food stamps make Americans better off. In 2000, there were 17 million Americans on food stamps. Today, there are 42 million, including 4 million foreign-born. That is not a sign of a healthy economy.
— James Fishback (@j_fishback) February 11, 2026
The goal *should never* be more people on… pic.twitter.com/6LGjEy8v30
Fishback added that four million of the current participants are foreign-born. USDA records do not provide a detailed breakdown by immigration status, and independent analyses indicate that most SNAP recipients are U.S. citizens, with non-citizens making up a smaller share. This figure cited by Fishback has not been independently verified.
“The goal should never be more people on government assistance,” Fishback wrote, saying the aim should be an economy where Americans “earn a dignified, market wage and can feed their family without relying on the government.”
During the CNN panel discussion, Fishback said it was “a mistake to sit here and say that the food stamp program makes Americans better off,” citing enrollment growth and arguing that reliance on government aid should not be treated as an economic benchmark, according to the network transcript.
Fishback also said he previously relied on food stamps for a short period and supports a safety net, but warned that it should not become permanent dependence. “We are all for a safety net,” he said, adding that it should not discourage work or wages.
Other panelists disputed his framing, saying most SNAP recipients are children, elderly people or people with disabilities and that benefits average only a few dollars per person per day.
Fishback is running to succeed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and is seeking the Republican nomination in a field that includes Rep. Byron Donalds.
On his campaign site, Fishback says he is focused on lowering costs and expanding wages so families can buy homes, raise children and retire “without relying on the government.”
