A far-right Republican candidate for governor in Florida is asking for donations so he can bother “young female voters” on Tinder with his campaign pitch.
James Fishback, 31, who is running in the GOP gubernatorial primary alongside Donald Trump–backed Rep. Byron Donalds, shared his dating-app profile on X, suggesting he hopes to “share my plan to make it easier for them to get married, buy a home, and raise a family.”
The post shows a standard Tinder prompt designed to spark conversation, reading: “My hottest take… Florida should offer paid maternity leave to all moms.”
In a follow-up post, Fishback complained that he had run out of “likes” because Tinder limits how many times a user can “swipe right” per day to express interest in another profile.
He then urged followers to donate to his gubernatorial campaign so he could afford Tinder Plus, a paid subscription that would allow the 31-year-old to swipe right on as many “young” potential female voters as he wants. Tinder Plus costs between $5-$10 per month, with discounts for longer memberships.
In a statement to the Daily Beast about his scheme, Fishback added: “When I match with voters on Tinder, I share my full plan and invite them to join us at one of our 15 no-cost, in-person campaign events we’re hosting across Florida this February. I want them to know they’re not alone—and that I’m serious about building a state where all women can thrive."
Fishback is a political newcomer who has already faced a series of controversies as he seeks to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. These include repeatedly calling Donalds, who is Black, a “slave” to his political donors and praising Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist Holocaust denier whose growing influence has sparked a major civil war within the GOP.
Last month, Fishback suggested former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who is also Black, should be “hanged in the public square” for covering an anti-ICE protest at a church in Minnesota.
A major Florida school district also cut ties with Fishback in 2022 over allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student who was 17 at the time, NBC News reported.
The woman, since identified as Keinah Fort, sought an order of protection against Fishback last year over allegations he harassed her after they broke up. Fishback denied the claims as “completely false,” adding that he has “never been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime.”
Multiple social media users have now questioned the optics of a man accused of a relationship with a minor going out of his way to target young women online under the guise of a political campaign drive.
“James was upset when he learned they set the minimum age at 18 tho,” Democratic National Committee youth official Matt Royer posted.
Jayden D’Onofrio, a Democrat running for Florida’s House District 102 seat, wrote: “If he could, James would turn his age filter to under 18 to meet his tastes.”
However, the Florida gubernatorial hopeful does not want the support of all female voters. In January, Fishbank outlined his plan to impose a 50 percent “sin tax” on the income of OnlyFans models.
