Category Archives: campaigns

“This Was the Year of the Influencer Political Takeover”

December 27, 2024, 7:29 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Wired: After years of sitting on the sidelines, content creators became a part of the mainstream political media this year, delivering election news, analysis, and political commentary to their online fans—all while sidestepping the traditional press. Eighty-one-year-old Joe Biden… Continue reading

“Online Ad Spending in the 2024 Election Topped $1.35 Billion”

December 19, 2024, 5:29 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

New from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, OpenSecrets, and the Wesleyan Media Project. Key findings: Between January 1, 2023, and November 5, 2024, online political advertisers spent $1.35 billion to buy ads on Google and Meta. More… Continue reading

“Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Plans to Donate $1 Million to Trump’s Inauguration; The tycoon, long a Trump foe, is among tech leaders seeking improved ties with the president-elect”

December 13, 2024, 7:37 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WSJ: Amazon.com is planning a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, as founder Jeff Bezos and other tech leaders shore up ties with the incoming administration. The donation is being prepared as Bezos, Amazon’s … Continue reading

“How Alarmed Harris Staffers Went Rogue to Reach Black and Latino Voters”

December 9, 2024, 7:55 amcampaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Two days before the November election, a rogue team of campaign organizers for Vice President Kamala Harris turned a Dunkin’ Donuts in Philadelphia into their secret headquarters. Their mission was simple: Knock on the doors of as many Black… Continue reading

“How Trump Targeted Undecided Voters Without Breaking the Bank”

December 5, 2024, 9:13 pmcampaigns, cheap speechJustin Levitt

The NYT with some insight into the microtargeting capability of streaming services.

“The apocalypse that wasn’t: AI was everywhere in 2024’s elections, but deepfakes and misinformation were only part of the picture”

December 2, 2024, 11:34 pmcampaigns, cheap speechArtificial IntelligenceJustin Levitt

Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders expand the frame in The Conversation.

“Inside the Republican false-flag effort to turn off Kamala Harris voters”

November 15, 2024, 7:27 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Muslims in Michigan began seeing pro-Israel ads this fall praising Vice President Kamala Harris for marrying a Jewish man and backing the Jewish state. Jews in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, saw ads from the same group with the opposite message:… Continue reading

“Clashes, confusion and secrecy consume the Harris campaign’s finances”

November 14, 2024, 7:54 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NBC News: If Kamala Harris’ campaign was known for anything, it was its blockbuster fundraising. In just a matter of months, it crossed the $1 billion mark, in a stunning and record-breaking pace. Now, less than a week since… Continue reading

“Injunction Halting Kansas Election Law Reversed on Appeal”

November 13, 2024, 7:15 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Bloomberg Law: An injunction blocking a Kansas law barring organizations from sending mail ballot applications to voters containing personalized information was reversed by the Tenth Circuit on Tuesday, The court upended a ruling of the US District Court for the… Continue reading

“Elon Musk’s PAC spent an estimated $200 million to help elect Trump, AP source says”

November 12, 2024, 7:30 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

AP: Elon Musk’s super PAC spent around $200 million to help elect Donald Trump , according to a person familiar with the group’s spending, funding an effort that sets a new standard for how billionaires can influence elections. The billionaire… Continue reading

“Republicans inch toward ‘trifecta’ control of House, Senate, White House”

November 11, 2024, 7:45 amcampaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Republicans are on the cusp of regaining the House majority for the 119th Congress and securing total control of Washington, days after the party won the presidency and control of the Senate. House Republicans appear to have flipped… Continue reading

“Who wins when? Election timing and descriptive representation”

November 11, 2024, 7:10 amcampaigns, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Zoltan L. Hajnal, Vladimir Kogan, and G. Agustin Markarian have written this article for AJPS. Here is the abstract: We examine how the timing of local elections affects the success of minority candidates, who remain woefully underrepresented in… Continue reading

“Trump’s Victory Is a Major Win for Elon Musk and Big-Money Politics”

November 6, 2024, 2:44 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, Plutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

NYT: His victory lap was the culmination of an effort that began only six months ago and depended on a risky gamble: Mr. Musk’s new super PAC effectively led Mr. Trump’s get-out-the-vote operation in battleground states — and Mr. Trump… Continue reading

“Musk to Spend Election Night With Trump; Elon Musk has spent $119 million on a super PAC supporting Donald Trump and held events on his behalf. But his ownership of X is especially valuable.”

November 5, 2024, 11:11 amcampaign finance, campaigns, cheap speechRick Hasen

NYT: Elon Musk plans to spend election night with former President Donald J. Trump, giving Mr. Trump direct access to the person controlling one of key information platforms on what could be a chaotic evening…. Mr. Musk is joining the… Continue reading