The Democrats' Influencer Convention

Advertising

GOP Senate candidates opt against digital ads
FWIW
"Nowhere is the spending discrepancy more stark than in battleground Michigan, where Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin is running against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. While Slotkin has spent nearly $2 million in the past three months on digital advertising, Rogers has spent less than $10,000."

Chasing Those Online Vibes
Anchor Change
"I do not understand what the Republicans are doing. Recent numbers show that the Democrats are vastly outspending Republicans online. Republicans are spending more on television. If you look at where people spend more of their time, it is not on traditional broadcast. This is especially true if you look at where some of those few persuadables are."

Dems outspending GOP nearly 2x on presidential race
Axios
"Today, the internet offers infinite inventory for campaigns to place ads with few regulations. That has also contributed to the historic growth of political ad spend in the U.S."

Campaigns

Inside the Gen-Z operation powering Harris’ online remix
CNN
"The 175 staffers on the team inherited by Harris include a mobilization team, which communicates with grassroots supporters who are sharing or making content, donating money and making calls and sending texts; a digital persuasion operation that encompasses paid media, influencers and content creators; a creative team; and a rapid response team."

Cybersecurity

US intelligence officials say Iran is to blame for hacks targeting Trump, Biden-Harris campaigns
Associated Press
"The assessment from the FBI and other federal agencies was the first time the U.S. government has assigned blame for hacks that have raised anew the threat of foreign election interference and underscored how Iran, in addition to more sophisticated adversaries like Russia and China, remains a top concern."

Social Media

The DNC Is Officially the Influencer Convention
Wired
"The creator amenities and floor access stand in stark contrast to what the DNC has made available to credentialed press outlets, despite journalists and creators having similar accreditation."

• A Visual Guide to the Influencers Shaping the 2024 Election (Wired)

DNC will live stream in vertical video
Axios
"Roughly one-third of Americans ages 18 to 29 say they get news regularly on TikTok, which only streams vertical video, per Pew Research Center."

Technology

The FEC Has No Business Regulating AI
Wall Street Journal
"Despite apocalyptic predictions about AI’s potential to sow chaos and upend elections in the U.S. and abroad, its salience in political campaigns has so far been limited."

The Year of the A.I. Election That Wasn’t
New York Times
"While Civox’s A.I. program made almost 1,000 calls to voters in five minutes, nearly all of them hung up in the first few seconds when they heard a voice that described itself as an A.I. volunteer, Mr. Diemer said."

This Investment Firm Wants To Build A Campaign Tech Ecosystem For Republicans
Forbes
"When it comes to his investment philosophy, Wilson said Startup Caucus aims to achieve similar success with its portfolio by focusing not only on promising campaign tech startups but also changing Republican campaign culture to encourage strategists and consultants to prioritize innovative technology."