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Democrats Are Inspiring Unconventional Fundraisers via Social Media

When you're not taking money from billionaires, you've got to get creative.

By Feb 27th, 2020, 5:11 pm
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (R) gestures as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) raises her hand and former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg listen during the Democratic presidential primary debate

(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have distinguished themselves as the two leading progressives in the Democratic primary field, both in their policies and in their campaign promises to refuse donations from super PACs and billionaires (although now that promise is up for debate).

With their campaigns relying on individual donations, both candidates (among others) have to contend with the self-funded campaigns of two billionaires who have largely bought themselves into the race. So their supporters are looking for fundraising inspiration in an obvious place: social media.

Today, liberal cosplayers united around a Twitter campaign launched by cosplayer @hyenasandgin, who said “My friends on the Ballin’ Out Super Podcast (number one leftist anime podcast) had recently raised $420 for Bernie and I was inspired to see if I could raise some money myself.”

They followed up by saying, “I’ve been cosplaying for 20 years and I’ve met so many amazing cosplayers in the community whose lives could be changed for the better with Bernie as President.” The hashtag #CosplayersForBernie quickly went viral, with fellow cosplayers sharing looks and making donations.

Meanwhile, a different sort of viral campaign is underway for Elizabeth Warren. #SpillTheTeaForWarren features Twitter personalities promising to divulge gossip and secrets in exchange for hitting a donation threshold. The initiative was launched by activist and press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign Charlotte Clymer:

Warren supporters in the entertainment industry are also joining the campaign, but instead of spilling the dirt they are offering services like script reads and consultations:

Still others are straight up offering everything from embarrassing high school photos to music tracks to tattoos:

In an era of politics that are defined (for better or worse) by unconventional campaigning methods, these hashtag fundraisers are a welcome change to the usual fire swamp of Twitter politicking. During elections, social media is so often used as a weapon to divide us, so it’s inspiring to see people coming together to raise funds for the candidates they support. Even if you’re not a fan of Warren or Sanders, you have to admire the passion they inspire within their fan bases.

(via Kotaku)

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Author
Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.
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