A Republican candidate for Florida governor is facing backlash after announcing he joined the dating app Tinder as part of his campaign strategy, drawing sharp criticism from OnlyFans creator Sophie Rain.
James Fishback, 31, posted a screenshot of his Tinder profile on social media, stating he joined the platform to "meet young female voters where they are."
"This isn't outreach. This is voter exploitation," Rain told The Blast. "'Young female voters,' you're not campaigning. You're preying."
Rain, who has previously clashed with Fishback over his proposed 50 percent "sin tax" on OnlyFans earnings, accused the candidate of exploiting women for political gain.
"Women aren't props for your outdated family fantasy," she said. "We're not steppingstones for your political ambitions. It's creepy."
Fishback, a long-shot candidate seeking to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, defended his approach as unconventional voter engagement.
"I've joined @Tinder to meet young female voters where they are, and share my plan to make it easier for them to get married, buy a home, and raise a family," Fishback wrote, also promoting paid maternity leave for Florida mothers.
Rain has been particularly critical of Fishback's proposed OnlyFans tax, which he says would fund teacher salaries and school lunches.
"The purpose of the sin tax in economics is to disincentivize and deter a behavior," Fishback previously told NXR Studios in January.
"I don't want young women... selling their bodies to sick men online."
Rain rejected that characterization.
"This is what happens when you let personal bias drive your platform," she said.
"You go from attacking women's choices to begging for Tinder likes. It's embarrassing."