CHICAGO ― At the Democratic National Committee convention, Deja Foxx, a reproductive rights advocate and social media personality, passionately encouraged young voters to back Vice President Kamala Harris in her presidential bid.

“My generation is making crucial life decisions, and we need a president who supports us, not a self-centered millionaire from reality TV,” said the 24-year-old from Arizona, addressing millions of viewers during a prime time broadcast on Monday. “Kamala Harris is the leader we need for a future where we can choose our family planning.”

She was surrounded by more than a dozen other influencers, approved by the Democratic Party to cover the event, showcasing a significant shift in how political campaigns aim to engage voters.

However, Foxx’s role extends beyond that of a mere influencer. Having previously worked with Harris, she was instrumental in creating the viral excitement surrounding the vice president, which could potentially influence the outcome of this closely contested presidential election.

As fewer people turn to traditional media like newspapers and cable news for their information, Harris’s campaign has focused on collaborating with influencers and content creators to disseminate their message promptly, as they rush to reintroduce the 59-year-old vice president to the American public.

“These reliable digital messengers can communicate campaign messages in ways that resonate personally, reflecting their own lives and the specific communities they connect with online,” Foxx explained in an interview.

Influencers interviewed by YSL News stated they are not receiving payment from either the Harris campaign or the Democratic National Committee for their online endorsements. However, influencer strategists noted that compensation has occurred in similar circumstances in the past.

After President Joe Biden announced he would not run, social media was flooded with countless TikTok edits showcasing Harris’ joyful laugh, moments when she handled interruptions during debates, her challenging Republicans in the Senate, and her encouragement for young girls to step into leadership roles.

This surge of online engagement is intentional.

During Harris’s brief 2019 presidential campaign that ended before any primaries were held, Foxx took on the roles of both influencer and strategist. She tracked online sentiment about Harris and worked closely with influencers leading up to campaign events.

The insights she gained influenced event guest lists and merchandise decisions.

Foxx and the digital team experimented with “seeding” snippets of audio and video featuring Harris on TikTok, giving creators the tools to remix them with their own perspectives. They would shoot video in a vertical format to accommodate smartphone viewing and captured small, easily shareable moments.

Many older clips currently circulating originated from Harris’s 2019 campaign, Foxx noted, and her social media activity reflects that: you’ll find Harris laughing, dancing at rallies, and confidently walking towards planes.

“This rapid rise in virality was possible due to the wealth of quality content available beforehand,” Foxx stated. “What began as an experimental idea in our 2019 headquarters has become tremendously significant.”

‘The Wild West’

Experts in politics and social science understand that building engagement hinges on making voters feel personally connected to a campaign. Rita Kirk, a Public Affairs professor at Southern Methodist University specializing in political communication, emphasizes this point.

“How do you capture young people’s interest? They’re not going to engage like past generations, such as writing letters to campaign headquarters. Instead, the modern equivalent is leveraging their social media networks,” Kirk commented. “This allows them to participate in the political process from the comfort of their homes, unlike the traditional campaign headquarters.”

Throughout her tenure as vice president, Harris has been quietly laying a digital foundation behind the scenes — meeting with young constituents, social media influencers, and various grassroots organizations, as Kirk points out.

“She clearly had intentions to run for president someday. While this year may not have been what she originally expected, she used the time to build her own capabilities,” Kirk added.

Although campaigns continue to rely on celebrities for their messages, new generations of voters increasingly trust online influencers, Kirk pointed out. To be perceived as genuine, messages must be unscripted and not controlled by the campaign itself, leading to messaging that is largely beyond their influence.

“It feels a bit like the Wild West,” Kirk remarked. “They’re encouraging supporters of Harris to share their opinions. The Harris campaign doesn’t have complete control over what goes viral or doesn’t; it’s simply people sharing their thoughts with friends.”

While campaigns have utilized influencers in the past, the current level of engagement is unprecedented. The Biden 2020 campaign also tapped into this strategy to connect with voters primarily through online channels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, his administration has maintained ties with these influencers, granting them special access and briefings, including just before the State of the Union and recently when he met about 100 digital creators in the Indian Treaty Room at the White House.

After snapping a selfie with the crowd, Biden acknowledged that his grandchildren no longer get their news from traditional sources like newspapers or television.

“You are the future,” he stated. “You are where people get their news.”

‘They’re really the ones shaping the media narrative’

Aaron Rupar spends his day watching various cable news channels and campaign livestreams. With eight years of experience in content curation, he can recognize key moments at a glance.

For instance, when former President Donald Trump made comments about Harris’ race at the National Association of Black Journalists, it quickly went viral with over seven million views. Similarly, Democrats chanting “lock him up” during Hillary Clinton’s DNC speech in 2024 also attracted over one million views.

A pioneering user of SnapStream, Rupar has garnered nearly 938,000 followers on X by sharing political clips that frequently become popular on different platforms and are often featured on cable news. Even if users don’t see the clips directly on his account, they likely encounter them on other accounts that share them or remix them into a new format.

Though Rupar is not physically present at the convention, his posts include reactions from conservative commentators alongside clips from the event itself.

Democratic influencers Keith Edwards and Harry Sisson pinpoint three main online sources for political video content: Rupar, an anti-Trump Los Angeles-based social media figure known as Acyn, and the Kamala HQ account managed by two young staffers from the Harris campaign.

“They significantly influence the daily media narrative with their clips,” Edwards noted.

In addition, Biden, Harris, and Kamala HQ are livestreaming the convention in vertical format on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and sharing clips for creators to alter. Harris’ vice presidential pick, Tim Walz, even debuted his TikTok account with a light-hearted video featuring his dog, Scout. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse of preparations for the Chicago convention on his TikTok account.

All this video and audio content is available for influencers to remix and create new material.

“This approach serves as a powerful strategy, effectively creating a meme factory. They can quickly generate a wide range of memes for current events, distributed to a group of creators who pick and choose what to use. There’s no formal structure; it just happens organically,” explained Eric Dahan, who leads a company specializing in influencer management.

Rupar, who previously worked with Think Progress and Vox, now operates independently. Although he still identifies himself as a journalist on X, he doesn’t view himself as neutral.

“I’d prefer it if Trump weren’t in office; I think that would benefit the country,” Rupar expressed. “I don’t make outright political endorsements, but it would be hard for anyone to look at my posts about Trump and not conclude that I am not his supporter.”

While some influencers have received requests to address specific topics, the individuals YSL News interviewed confirmed they have never been directly compensated by the Harris campaign or the DNC.

Dahan mentioned he hasn’t observed any evidence. There have been allegations that the Harris campaign compensates influencers, but it has been recognized as a common practice in the past.

In 2021, a left-wing blogger known as Brooklyn Dad faced scrutiny when The Independent reported he was financially supported by Really American, a Democratic political action committee during the 2020 election cycle.

Sisson, often branded a “DNC plant” by users on the right side of social media, labeled such claims as “clearly” incorrect. He mentioned that he and fellow influencers cover their own travel and lodging expenses when they attend White House events, campaign gatherings, and the party’s convention.

“There’s no undisclosed channel where, at least to my knowledge, payments are exchanged,” Sisson, who boasts 1.2 million followers on TikTok, stated. “In my opinion, they lack a solid argument against our advocacy. Thus, they attempt to discredit the advocates, believing that labeling someone as ‘being paid’ or ‘a plant’ is effective.”

‘A vital part of the ecosystem’

Around 200 digital creators were credentialed for the Democratic National Convention and received a briefing prior to the event to aid them in content creation.

Edwards and Sisson mentioned that organizers requested a list of potential interviewees that influencers would like to engage with, and influencers attending the convention were able to reserve studio space to produce content.

Unlike traditional media members, who number approximately 15,000 at the convention and are credentialed by an independent committee of journalists distributing space provided by the DNC, media companies are responsible for their own expenses, including food, furniture, and internet access. Daily press briefings are held, and the party offers a request form for interviews with surrogates.

Influencers had 50 reserved seats in the United Center. In the hall, there’s a dedicated space for influencers, marked by a blue carpet and equipped with microphones and phones on stands. Notable figures, such as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, mingled with attendees throughout Monday evening.

To the left of the main stage, there’s a small, influencer-exclusive stage for content creators to record videos during speeches. Cable news networks have set up similar sections in the arena for interviewing guests during the event.

Critics, including Trump and several journalists, have taken aim at Harris for not participating in a sit-down interview with traditional media since she launched her presidential bid. However, Edwards and Emily Amick, both of whom transitioned from Democratic strategists to influencers, believe her campaign is following a strategic approach.

Edwards, who has nearly 49,000 followers on TikTok, predicted she would eventually engage with traditional media. However, he noted that through the content produced by her team and her campaign appearances, Harris effectively conveys her necessary messages.

“She engages with voters daily,” Edwards remarked. “Incredibly strategic. The media is merely throwing a tantrum.”

Amick, known as @Emilyinyourphone online and with 5,763 TikTok followers, formerly served as legal counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and is one of the digital creators accredited for the DNC.

.“There are around 200 influencers attending the DNC, while I heard there are 14,000 press credentials issued,” Amick noted. “It’s rather absurd to suggest it’s solely influencers without any media. Influencers are a crucial aspect of the overall ecosystem.”

Trump’s Campaign Attempts

This election cycle, the Trump campaign has also reached out to influencers, although with less effectiveness. The Republican National Convention credentialed over 70 digital creators and allotted workspace for them. Instead of presenting footage in a vertical format, the RNC livestreamed on the conservative-oriented platform Rumble.

Former President Trump has engaged in online interviews with internet personalities such as Logan Paul, Adin Ross, and Elon Musk, all of whom are vocal supporters of Trump.

During the 2016 election, Trump enjoyed online momentum as a new, unconventional candidate, according to Melinda Jackson, an associate professor of political science at San Jose State University specializing in political engagement strategies.

“He was viewed as the outsider candidate in 2016, unlike seasoned politicians. His approach and rhetoric were distinctly different, resonating with voters disillusioned by both parties,” Jackson explained. “Now, people have already witnessed this.”

The Harris campaign has successfully connected with youthful voters by communicating in their familiar generational style and utilizing platforms they frequent, such as TikTok, rather than Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), which dominated voter engagement in the 2016 and 2020 elections, Kirk explained.

“The Republican campaign is lagging in effectively energizing this particular demographic and allowing them to communicate in their preferred style,” Kirk contended. “It’s still a top-down communication approach, characterized by Trump’s tweets and statements. It’s not grassroots communication.”

Dahan encapsulated the situation succinctly.

“He embodies the influencer role, being a prominent personality,” Dahan remarked.

Jackson believes the shortened campaign timeline may hinder the Trump campaign’s adaptability and allow Harris to maintain the sense of novelty associated with her online campaign.

“This condensed timeframe is likely to benefit her. She brings freshness and is experiencing a surge in support,” Jackson noted. “Questions arise about how long this honeymoon phase will continue. Fortunately, it doesn’t need to extend indefinitely. We’re talking about mere months.”

Contributions from Sam Woodward, Francesca Chambers, and Jessie Balmert in Chicago.

For inquiries, contact Sarah D. Wire on X, formerly Twitter, @sarahdwire, and Rachel Barber on X, formerly Twitter, @rachelbarber_