Campaigns Partner With Influencers for Voter Outreach With Mixed Results

Democratic and Republican campaigns are paying online creators and arranging appearances with streamers to expand their reach among younger voters. Tom Steyer spent tens of thousands of dollars on influencer partnerships during his run for California governor and finished third in the primary.

Spencer Pratt, running for mayor of Los Angeles, posted frequent creator videos and appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast yet also failed to advance.

Republican strategist Eric Wilson said social media and content creators function as a blunt tool that works better for national races than for state or local contests. He noted that even creators with millions of followers may reach few voters inside a single state primary. Wilson added that campaigns still prefer the extra audience when the cost-benefit calculation favors it.

Hasan Piker, who has nearly 10 million followers across platforms, has endorsed several progressive candidates this year. Piker has also backed Adam Hamawy in New Jersey's 12th district and Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania's 3rd district, both of whom won their primaries.

In California, Piker interviewed Tom Steyer and hosted Saikat Chakrabarti; neither advanced. El-Sayed said the appearances drew older voters who asked how the campaign attracted younger crowds and younger voters who recognized him from Piker's streams.

Michigan's primary is scheduled for August 4.