Politicians with limited financial resources have a tough time getting their message across to voters, but one millennial figured out a way to meet voters on hookup apps like Grindr and Tinder.
Huey Ray Fischer, a 23-year-old Democrat who ran for the Texas House of Representatives on March 1, used dating apps to directly connect with young voters.
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My San Antonio reported that Fischer, who campaigned as a “progressive queer Latino millennial,” got the idea from two University of Texas students who successfully campaigned for student government by using the dating apps.
“I figured that if it works for student government; why not make it work for the Texas Legislature?” Fischer told the San Antonio Express-News.
Using campaign phones, Fischer and his volunteers set up profiles on both dating apps, connecting with nearly 500 total voters.
When people asked Fischer what he was looking for on the gay hookup app, he would respond: “your vote.”
The candidate’s boyfriend encouraged him, understanding that he wasn’t looking for dates, just votes.
Fischer said using the apps was an effective way to reach out to progressive millennials who care about LGBTQ issues, student debt, property tax reform, and a raise on the minimum wage.
In the end, Fischer and his volunteers simply didn’t have enough voters swipe right; Daily Texas Online reported that he came in third place, receiving just 15 percent of the vote.
