Sophie Rain is taking a victory lap after Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback lost the Republican primary, effectively ending his path to imposing a controversial 50% “sin tax” on the earnings of adult content creators. Fishback finished a distant third in Tuesday’s primary with approximately 10% of the vote. U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination with roughly 48% and will advance to the general election. Rain, whom Fishback personally targeted while promoting his proposed tax earlier this year, quickly celebrated the result on X.
Rain responded to a post announcing Donalds’ victory over Fishback by writing, “looks like i am keeping my money [laughing face emoji].” Two minutes later, she shared Fishback’s Election Day message encouraging voters to remain in line and sarcastically added, “better luck in 2030 maybe? [laughing face emoji].”
The posts represented a clear victory lap for Rain after months of publicly battling Fishback over his plan to impose a 50% levy on income earned through adult content platforms. According to Florida election results reported by WJXT, Donalds received approximately 48% of the Republican vote. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins finished second with around 25%, while Fishback placed third with approximately 10%.
Although Fishback’s campaign failed to secure the nomination, University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett noted that his support was still notable for a candidate operating outside the Republican mainstream. “He didn’t do great, but as someone who was considered somewhat of a fringe candidate, and sort of dismissed by the mainstream Republican Party, he got 10%. So, that’s the other way at looking at it,” Jewett said.
James Fishback Personally Told Sophie Rain To ‘Pay Up Or Quit’
Fishback ignited his feud with Rain in January when he announced what he described as a first-of-its-kind “OF Sin Tax.” The investment firm CEO proposed taking 50% of the earnings generated by Florida-based adult content creators and using the money to fund the state’s education system.
“As Florida governor in year one, I will push for the first-of-its-kind OF Sin Tax,” Fishback declared. “If you are a so-called OF creator in Florida, you are going to pay 50% to the state on whatever you so-called earn via that online degeneracy platform…”
“We will raise hundreds of millions of dollars of income on the OF Sin Tax,” he continued. “If we don’t raise that income, you know what it’ll mean? It’ll mean something even greater has materialized for the young women and young men of our state…”
Fishback then singled out Rain on X and wrote, ” Hey @SophieRaiin, Pay up or quit OF. As Florida Governor, I will not allow a generation of smart and capable young women to sell their bodies online.” The policy remained a campaign proposal. Fishback’s primary defeat means he will not have the opportunity to pursue it as Florida’s governor.
Sophie Rain Accused The Candidate Of Chasing ‘Clout’
Rain previously unloaded on Fishback in comments exclusively provided to The Blast, accusing him of using her name to attract attention. “I have not heard of this guy until now, and I have lived in Florida all my life. He’s looking for clout,” she told The Blast exclusively. “First of all, imposing a tax on OF girls is quite possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of. I already pay my taxes, millions in taxes, actually.”
She added, “Also, why are you taxing the creator, why not the subscriber?! By that logic, this makes no sense.”
Rain also warned that targeting creators could prompt some of the industry’s biggest earners to leave Florida. “Florida is OF central. You are just going to drive them out of the state, then what? Fishback is going to go after a group of people who work very hard for their money, just because he himself is against it, is wrong. I feel like it’s also a constitutional violation.”
The OF creator continued, “No one ever forced me to start an OF, it was MY decision, so I don’t need a 31-year-old man telling me I can’t sell my body online. I am a Christian, God knows what I am doing, and I know he is happy with me, that’s the only validation I need.”
Rain questioned whether Fishback’s proposal could survive the legislative process even if he became governor. “He says this bill will be the ‘first of its kind,’ the second that bill gets on the senate floor it will be the ‘last of its kind,’” she said.
Rain Warned The Proposal Could Hurt Florida’s Economy
Rain maintained that the proposed levy would have consequences beyond individual creators because their earnings are spent throughout Florida’s economy. “You’re not just going after me. You’re going after thousands of women who make an honest living online,” she said. “Drive them out, and you’re going to see what happens to local business, rental demand, tourism, all of it. We spend money here.”
She also objected to Fishback framing the work as inherently sinful. “How do you charge a sin tax to a Christian who hasn’t sinned?” Rain asked. “If you’re going to label my work immoral, at least come up with logic that holds up.”
Fishback’s Campaign Faced Multiple Controversies
The “sin tax” dispute was only one of several controversies surrounding Fishback during the gubernatorial race. In June, a federal judge ordered Fishback to pay Greenlight Capital $1,198,464.02 in attorneys’ fees and $120,052.01 in costs. The federal court’s ruling followed Fishback’s stipulation that he had repeatedly breached confidentiality provisions in his former employment agreement.
Fishback also survived a legal challenge questioning whether he met Florida’s seven-year residency requirement. Records showed that he had purchased a Washington, D.C., residence, received a tax deduction and voted there. However, a Leon County judge allowed him to remain on the ballot.
Fishback nevertheless connected with some young male voters through his anti-establishment campaign and “Florida First” platform. That support, however, was not enough to carry him beyond the Republican primary.