ORLANDO, Fla. – In an unconventional turn of events, gubernatorial candidate James Fishback is making headlines with his latest campaign tactic: reaching potential voters through the dating app Tinder. Known for his bold stances on taxing OnlyFans and advocating for mandatory school uniforms, Fishback is now aiming to connect with young female voters on a platform they frequent.
Fishback announced this new approach on Monday through his X account, revealing his intention to engage with young women and discuss his vision for a more supportive environment for marriage, home ownership, and family life. To illustrate his commitment, he unveiled his Tinder profile, which prominently features his proposal for statewide paid maternity leave.
In a humorous twist, Fishback found himself quickly running out of likes on the app, playfully appealing for donations to upgrade to Tinder Plus. Despite this minor hitch, by Tuesday evening, he proudly reported garnering 1,000 matches, reflecting a positive reception to his outreach strategy.
Beyond his social media-savvy tactics, Fishback’s campaign is also marked by policy proposals that echo the current governor, Ron DeSantis. He is advocating for the cessation of H-1B visas for foreign workers, the dismantling of A.I. data centers, and the abolition of property taxes. These stances align with his broader vision for the state’s future.
By Tuesday evening, though, Fishback claimed he had already received 1,000 matches in the app.
Aside from maternity leave, Fishback is also campaigning to stop H-1B visas for foreign workers, cancel A.I. data centers, and abolish property taxes, much in the same vein as current Gov. Ron DeSantis.
His foray into Tinder isn’t the first time that Fishback has grabbed headlines in recent weeks, though. Last month, he made the following proposals:
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Major Sin Tax: A 50% tax on OnlyFans creators in the state, with funding going toward public education and crisis pregnancy centers
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Mandatory School Uniforms: Required uniforms in all public schools, with families receiving $250 stipends per child to help purchase the necessary clothes
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Mamdani Tax: A $50,000 tax levied on out-of-state buyers trying to purchase a single-family home in Florida
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Homeless Sweep: Sending the National Guard to remove every single homeless person from Florida’s streets
On the Republican side, Fishback is running against candidates like frontrunner U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, the latter of whom announced his candidacy earlier this month.
However, recent poll data reveals that Fishback is struggling heavily with an issue that’s also plaguing much of his competition: identifiability.
On the Republican side, over 50% of respondents said they had a favorable impression of fellow candidate Byron Donalds, who was given the support of President Donald Trump early last year.
But out of all the candidates in the race so far, the data shows that only 3% of respondents said they would be willing to vote for Fishback.
The primary election is slated for Aug. 18.
Meanwhile, the general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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