Harris and Dems spent millions on social media influence — but ‘irrelevant’ TikTok users likely won’t vote

Josh Christenson October 31, 2024 at 11:19 AM1/2

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has paid millions for social media influencers to boost her candidacy among young voters, but many who use one of the most popular platforms with that cohort, TikTok, are less likely to even show up at the polls, survey data shows.

Cygnal pollster Brent Buchanan told The Post Wednesday that his firm’s surveys show Harris’ support is flat from Joe Biden’s in 2020 among voters younger than 30, many of whom are not inclined to get out and vote on Nov. 5.

“They’re lower-income, lower-education, younger — these are all factors that go into less voter participation,” Buchanan said, pointing to an Oct. 24-26 poll by his firm that shows they are also 68% female, another dominant Harris demographic.Many who use TikTok are less likely to even show up at the polls, data shows. “They’re the hardest people to get to turn out,”he added.

The Harris campaign and the Democratic National Committee have shelled out $4.5 million to talent agenciessince March 2023 that developed social media influencer campaigns, according to a Washington Post analysis.

Influencerswere not paid directly by Harris’ team or the DNC, but rather through a network of other liberal PACs.

Still, four of the top 10 trending posts since Oct. 1 have been Donald Trump campaign content— with two of those showing clips from his Oct. 20 drive-thru operator shift at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s franchise. “I could do this all day,” the 78-year-old ex-president beamed in the most-watched of the four trending posts, which garnered 65.6 million views. “I like this job.”

The only trending clip that touched on the VP’s campaignwas a TikTok reel of former President Barack Obama rapping Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” at a Detroit rally for Harris, which ranked as the sixth-most-watched clip.

“Elections are about turnout, not persuasion,”Buchanan also said. “All the money they put into paying influencers as part of the campaign has come to what? Unless those people are now getting their followers to turn out, it’s really irrelevant.”

Harris and the White House have also courted influencers to promote their administration’s agenda on social media.That funding hasn’t necessarily boosted views, though, according to data from the social media intelligence firm CredoIQ.

Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30, the top 10 topics covered onTikTok posts in terms of viewership have been Donald Trump (5.4 billion), Kamala Harris (3.1 billion), general news (1.8 billion), the conflict in the Middle East (1.3 billion), US politics (973.4 million), Republicans (769.6 million), US elections (765.6 million), Democrats (611.5 million), JD Vance (571.3 million) and Tim Walz (455.4 million).

https://www.aol.com/harris-dems-paid-millions-social-161957212.html

>>21870455

2/2

• Some of the top issues for 2024 voters — the economy and immigration — didn’t crack the top 10 list of topics for TikTokkers over that period, nor did President Biden.

• In 2020, Biden garnered 49% support from news-consuming TikTokkers who were likely to vote, according to Buchanan, the same percentage that his vice president now enjoys.

• Harris still has a majority of support from likely voters ages 18 to 29, but it’s beneath the levels that carried Biden to victory four years prior.

• Among that age group, 59% cast ballots for Biden and 35% for Trump, Pew Research figures show.

• In a head-to-head matchup, Trump is winning 43% of those young voters, compared with Harris’ 55%, according to the most recent New York Times/Siena College poll in October.

• “Trump went from 34% in 2020 to 40% now,” Buchanan said, citing Cygnal data. “So he’s grown his support among those who get their news from TikTok.”

• Pew Research surveys indicate 62% of Americans in that age bracket use TikTok — but only 39% say they are doing so to get their news for the day.

•Right-leaning messaging on TikTok is being viewed more often than left-leaning content, 47% to 43%, since the vice presidential debate on Oct. 1, according to data from CredoIQ reported by the Financial Times last week.

•Trump’s TikTok campaign account has more than twice as many followers as the Harris team’s— 12 million to 5 million.

• The Harris account, KamalaHQ, has attracted a slightly higher 1.5 billion views in total this cycle, while Trump’s account garnered 1 billion.

“Early indications of voter registration have been really positive in terms of activating young people,” Linktree head of creators Laura Cohen also told the Financial Times.

“The proof is going to be in the pudding,” added Cohen, whose firm is working on initiatives to boost voter turnout.

Show comments

https://www.aol.com/harris-dems-paid-millions-social-161957212.html

CPAC claims evidence of Wisconsin illegal ‘ballot harvesting’

ByPaul Bedard October 31, 2024 8:29 am

In its effort to catch election fraud, the Conservative Political Action Conference this week claimed it had photographic evidence of illegal “ballot harvesting” in Wisconsin.

Chairman Matt Schlapp said his CPAC Foundation filed a complaint on Wednesday with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, complete with a witness account of the alleged crime conducted in broad daylight outside Milwaukee City Hall.

The witness said in a statement that he saw somebody jam up to 500 ballots into an unguarded ballot box and then flee once he realized that he was being photographed.

In Wisconsin, the law requires that voters personally handle their ballots. It bans the collection, or harvesting, of ballots by others, CPAC said.

In its complaint, the Washington-based group, known best for hosting political conventions worldwide for conservative activists, said thelaw requires that “ballots be ‘mailed by the elector, or delivered in person, to the municipal clerk issuing the ballot or ballots’ unless the elector is disabled.”

It added that “CPAC believes the facts provided establish probable cause to believe a violation of Wisconsin law has occurred and urges the Wisconsin Elections Commission to promptly investigate these allegations.”

On X, Schlapp wrote, “CPAC received reports of illicit ballot harvesting at the dropbox location outside Milwaukee City Hall. A witness reported an individual depositing a significant number of absentee ballots into the dropbox before fleeing the scene. Ballot Harvesting is illegal under Wisconsin Law.” Schlapp added that CPAC “is committed to protecting our elections and urges WEC and local law enforcement to investigate these allegations.”

Below is what the witness wrote in his statement:

I have personal knowledge of the matters set forth herein, and if called as a witness, I could and would testify competently as to the truth of such matters.

• On October 25, 2024, at approximately 7:55 pm, I witnessed an individual who appeared to deposit a bag full of absentee ballots into a dropbox.

• It is my understanding that ballot trafficking is a violation of Wisconsin state law and that each elector must deliver their own absentee ballot unless the elector is disabled.

• I was sitting in my car with my son outside of the City Hall dropbox location at 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

• An individual approached the dropbox carrying two bags.

• One of the bags was a drawstring backup. The other bag was a large green bag with a zipper on the top.

• The green bag appeared to be full. I would estimate that the green bag could hold between 50 and 500 absentee ballots.

• The individual walked up to the drop box and reached into the green bag at least five times to empty the contents of his bag into the dropbox.

• While walking away from the dropbox, I watched the individual fold up the now empty green bag and proceed to put it in the drawstring backup.

• When the individual realized I was watching and taking pictures, the individual sprinted away.

• I have attached four photos of the individual I was able to capture.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/3210651/cpac-claims-evidence-wisconsin-illegal-ballot-harvesting/

Look at her mouth and attitude while talking, that’s one arrogant lying creep

Kyle Clark

@KyleClark

County clerks were not notified of the breach by Griswold until after the Colorado GOP called it out publicly yesterday.I asked Griswold yesterday whether she ever intended to tell the public. She said that hadn't been decided.

0:27

6:46 PM · Oct 30, 2024

66.8K Views

Https://x.com/KyleClark/status/1851757516415291447

• UPDATE — Jena Griswold knew voting machine passwords were visible, made no public statement, did not issue order to change passwords.

• Griswold — We didn’t plan to tell the public about the breach.

• Jena only changed the passwords after the story broke.

>>21870615

THE BLINKING OF THE EYES, LYING AND MAKING THINGS UP

Citizen Free Press

@CitizenFreePres

Soy Leftist has Elon Musk Derangement Syndrome.

This is so stupid it borders on hilarious.

0:28 / 0:44

From Ian Miles Cheong

12:20 PM · Oct 31, 2024

· 19.8K Views

How many millions off younger people, that are damaged and can't be fixed?

https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1852022960636256523

>>21870682

Wow, only OCD and demented people would create a fact check that everyone knew the details.These people must be tortured by their hatred.

KEKKITY

Collin Rugg

@CollinRugg

JUST IN: Pollster Frank Luntz says President Biden may have lost Kamala Harris the election, says his "garbage" comment is "huge."

CNN: Will Biden's comments move voters?

Luntz: "It's gonna be huge because this is not some comedian saying something stupid and offensive at a rally." "Trump already seized this."

"The basket of deplorables was significant, was meaningful in 2016."

"I can promise you that this is gonna drive Trump turnout. He's doing it already."

"I'm sure there's gonna be ads on as soon as tonight about this."

"This may be a turning point for that final 3 %, and that's all it is."

0:47

4:52 PM · Oct 30, 2024

· 2.5M Views

why is CNN so worried about Kamala? They act like they get a bonus if she wins.

https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1851728821659332646

I can’t stand Luntz but he’s right, but McCarthy likes him.

There was a theory out there weeks ago, that Bidan would sabotage her, so he can say he was the only person that defeated President Trump.

He didn’t want Kamala showing up his “historic or (histrionic) presidency.

LIVE: President Trump Holds a Rally in Albuquerque, NM - 10/31/24

Watch LivePresident Trump takes the stage at raucous Albuquerque rally wearing Dark MAGA. Let’s win New Mexico, damnit.

https://www.youtu.be/GUekg_KOWhI

>>21870729

WATCH: Trump Force One Lands in Albuquerque, NM - 10/31/24

1:04

https://youtu.be/u9fEzT1Ragc

LIVE: President Trump Headlines Tucker Carlson Live Tour - 10/31/24

Trump to appear with Tucker live tour tonight. Starts at 8 p.m.

Link for later:

https://www.youtube/ngM0Chx_s7Y

Charlie Kirk

@charliekirk11

Early vote has been disproportionately female. If men stay at home, Kamala is president. It’s that simple.

If you want a vision of the future if you don't vote, imagine Kamala's voice cackling, forever.

Men need to GO VOTE NOW.

4:06 PM · Oct 30, 2024

·

2.9M

Views

https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1851717440998453751

Women Dominate Early Voting as Donald Trump Supporters Get NervousUpdated Oct 31, 2024 at 7:49 AM EDT

How Early Voting Looks One Week Before Election Day By Khaleda Rahman

Women are dominating early voting in the 2024 election so far, prompting concern among some of former President Donald Trump's allies.

Women are outpacing men in casting ballots nationally and in all seven battleground states, according to NBC News' tracker of early ballot returns. Of the more than 58 million mail-in and early in-person votes that have been cast nationally,54 percent were cast by women and 44 percent by men.

In the swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and North Carolina, there is at least a 10-point gap between men and women in the early vote. The gender gap was widest in Pennsylvania as of 2 a.m. ET on Thursday, with women accounting for about 56 percent of the early vote, and men for about 43 percent.

Pennsylvania, the largest battleground state, is key for both Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump, and both have campaigned in the state more than any other as polls show a tight race in the final days of the campaign. Newsweek has contacted the Trump and Harris campaigns for comment via email.

While it is not known how women who have cast ballots early have voted, the data is worrying supporters of Trump who fear it may indicate he will not be able to win in November.

"Early vote has been disproportionately female. If men stay at home, Kamala is president. It's that simple," Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point, an organization that has become a powerful ally of Trump's campaign, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Mike Cernovich, a right-wing political commentator, wrote that "male turnout in Pennsylvania for Trump has been a disaster." He added: "Unless this changes, Kamala Harris takes PA [Pennsylvania] and it's over."

Harris has made defending abortion rights central to her campaign—an issue that has become an election liability for Republicans—and targeted women of all races and education, including Republican women dissatisfied with the former president.

The early voting data is encouraging Democrats who see women as crucial to propelling Harris to the White House.

"The gender gap is a key reason for hope among Democrats and concern among Republicans, especially when many states have abortion rights amendments on their ballots in the 2024 election," Thomas Miller, a data scientist at Northwestern University, told Newsweek.

Miller, who uses betting markets rather than traditional polls to forecast election outcomes, added that women "vote in higher percentages than men. So, it is not surprising that women are outpacing men in this year's early voting."

However, it is not known if the increased turnout among women is only beneficial for Harris since Trump has seen success in his recent calls for Republicans to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, after previously attacking all forms of early voting.

More registered Republicans than Democrats have cast their mail-in or in-person ballots in the battleground states of Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia as of early Thursday, though Democrats are facing outpacing Republicans in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

"We are seeing an increase in Republicans of all types, gender—men and women—voting," Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida who tracks early voting data as part of his United States Election Project, told Politico. "It's just that women are still ahead and keeping pace."

https://www.newsweek.com/women-dominate-early-voting-trump-supporters-nervous-1977757