James Fishback, a contentious candidate running for Governor of Florida, has stirred the pot with an unusual campaign strategy: utilizing the dating app Tinder to engage with younger women voters.
The 31-year-old Republican hopeful took to X to share a screenshot of his Tinder profile, explaining his intention to reach out to young voters on the app and discuss his political platform with them.
“I’ve joined @Tinder to engage with young female voters where they are,” Fishback stated. “I want to share my vision for making it easier for them to marry, purchase a home, and start a family.”
In an eye-catching piece of his profile, Fishback expressed a bold opinion, advocating for Florida to provide paid maternity leave to all mothers.
However, his innovative approach hit a snag when he reported that he had exhausted the number of likes Tinder offers to its users.
To overcome this hurdle, Fishback appealed for donations to upgrade to Tinder Plus, which would grant him unlimited likes and the ability to see who has liked his profile.
Unsurprisingly, his unusual request received mixed reactions online.
‘Fishback I’m taking notes for my campaign! Win at all costs brother,’ one user wrote.
‘This screams incel,’ another wrote.
James Fishback, a 31-year-old far-right Republican candidate, shared a screenshot of his Tinder profile on X along with plans to ‘meet young voters’ to discuss his campaign
Many X users quipped about Tinder’s age restrictions, referencing accusations that Fishback had an inappropriate relationship with a minor which the candidate denied
A third comment said: ‘This is very weird, man.’
‘This is the most cringe campaign tactic I’ve ever seen. Embarrassing,’ another wrote.
‘You are seriously the single MOST cringeworthy person to ever run for public office.’
The apparent faux pas prompted some users to bring up Tinder’s age restrictions, as they referenced accusations that Fishback had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, which the candidate denied.
NBC News previously alleged that a Florida school district cut ties with him following the allegations.
The woman who made the claim requested an order of protection against Fishback in 2025, claiming he pursued a relationship with her in 2022 when she was 17 and he was 27.
‘These allegations from several years ago are completely false, and after two lengthy court hearings in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit, I was fully exonerated. I have never been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime,’ he said at the time.
His primary opponent in the race is Congressman Byron Donalds, the front-running Republican who currently represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District, encompassing Naples and Cape Coral.
Donalds has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump
Just after filing paperwork to run for governor in Florida, Fishback called Congressman Byron Donalds, the frontrunner in the contest, a ‘slave.’ Fishback followed up, saying Donalds is a ‘slave to his donors.’ Donalds’ team has called the remarks racist
Shortly after filing his paperwork to join the governors race, Fishback used an unsavory word choice to criticize Donalds, who is black.
‘Byron Donalds is a slave. I’m sorry – he’s a slave,’ Fishback began.
‘He is a slave to his donors. He is a slave to the corporate interests, to the tech bros that want to turn our state into his own words, a financial capital.’
His remarks quickly caught attention online, where some critics slammed the 30-year-old for employing racially charged language.
The former Wall Street financier and college dropout also recently criticized OnlyFans star Sophie Rain in an online public feud over his proposed ‘sin tax.’
Fishback vowed ‘not to let young, smart, and capable women be exploited by OnlyFans‘ if elected Governor.
‘It is called a “sin tax” because it is a sin,’ he told NXR Studios.
‘The purpose of the sin tax in economics is to disincentivize and deter a behavior.’
Sophie Rain, 21, one of the most well-known and successful creators on OnlyFans, claims to have made $83million since launching her account
Fishback vowed ‘not to let young, smart, and capable women be exploited by OnlyFans ‘ if elected Governor
He has proposed a policy which would guarantee ‘all revenue from Florida’s 50 percent OnlyFans Tax will increase public school teacher pay and improve school lunches.’
‘I don’t want young women who could otherwise be mothers raising families, rearing children, I don’t want them to be selling their bodies to sick men online.’
Fishback added that he doesn’t ‘want young, impressionable men who have strayed from Christ, who have strayed from our Lord and savior to be told, and to be drawn into lust, and have their entire brain rewired.’
‘Defeat OnlyFans, Restore decency,’ he wrote in January in an X post aimed at getting donations for his campaign, which is trailing dramatically behind Florida Rep. Byron Donalds to replace outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis.
Fishback’s campaign is focused on ‘fighting so every Floridian can earn a great-paying job, buy a home, raise a family, and retire with dignity.’
A recent Facebook post from Fishback said: ‘As Governor, I will make clear that 1. Teachers will not be telling the white students to apologize to the black students. 2. Teachers will not be telling the black students they are oppressed. All are created in God’s image. All are capable of greatness.’
