In search for younger voters, Democrats court influencers at DNC

Malynda Hale angled her iPhone toward her face and filmed a quick selfie video as she headed over to the first day of the Democratic National Convention.

“I’m already annoyed and it’s not even 8:30. Nobody knows anything and this is very confusing,” the 38-year-old influencer says in the clip, which she immediately uploaded to her 53,000 Instagram followers. “I’m gonna give you the real, unfiltered version of what it’s like to be at the DNC.”

Hale, a singer and actor from Northridge, is one of more than 200 social media influencers who received credentials — a first for the DNC — to attend the four-day convention. In granting digital content creators access to delegates, studio space and events, Kamala Harris’ campaign hopes they will use their vast online followings to promote the party’s message and galvanize young voters, who showed deep apathy about President Biden’s bid for reelection.

“They obviously view us as a direct line to this demographic, because a lot of them are bypassing traditional media to see what the influencers and the public figures and creators that they follow are saying about political events,” Hale said in an interview with The Times. “It’s a great idea to kind of use us as, like, a democratic liaison to certain generations.”

Since arriving in Chicago over the weekend, Hale has been unleashing a quick-fire barrage of Instagram stories, reels, grid photos and TikTok videos, capturing the glam and grind of being a chosen influencer.

In more than 50 posts uploaded to her social channels on Monday alone, she chronicled her difficulties picking up her badge, the scene at the creator lounge at the United Center and her view from the arena floor before the evening’s speakers took the stage (“Our actual seats are in the nosebleeds,” she says into the camera).

The trip to Chicago for Hale, whose following swelled during the pandemic when she began speaking out about social justice issues, was sponsored by Stand Up America; the nonprofit organization paid for flights for her and four family members and covered the cost of their Airbnb.

As Harris has kept her distance from the mainstream news media, the decision to open the door to influencers is a reflection of her campaign’s belief that social media creators are an important conduit for getting its message to voters.

A few were even invited to make speeches to rally support for Harris, sharing the same spotlight reserved for her and her running mate, Tim Walz, as well as powerful Democrats including Barack and Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

On the sidelines of the convention Monday, influencers were provided a special pavilion and luxury box. Democratic aides brought officials over to a “blue carpet” to be interviewed by the social media stars. In the convention hall, some had positioned ring lights to better capture themselves during the more marquee events.

One of the most recognizable social media personalities on the blue carpet was drag queen BenDeLaCreme. “You see how I come dressed for the DNC? Very demure, very mindful,” she said in an Instagram reel, giving her 1.1 million followers a close-up look at her towering bouffant, dramatic makeup and swirly black, white and pink dress.

BenDeLaCreme, who lives in Los Angeles, came to the convention with Drag PAC. The political action committee was founded by drag queens “to bring awareness to Gen Z voters of how important their voice really is, and try to engage more of Gen Z in this year’s election,” she said in an interview with The Times.

And appearing at the DNC was an opportunity to draw attention to the personal causes she supports.

“The drag community is also here to protect our trans siblings,” said BenDeLaCreme, who spoke on a panel hosted by the LGBTQ+ Caucus earlier in the day. “We in the queer community know that we can’t go anywhere without protecting reproductive rights, without protecting people of color.”

The DNC’s speaker lineup on Monday night featured 24-year-old Deja Foxx, a Columbia University graduate who spoke about reproductive rights, an issue that has given Democrats ammunition against the Republicans after the Supreme Court’s conservative majority overturned federal abortion protections.

“For young people, this is a fight for our future,” said Foxx, who has more than 141,000 followers on TikTok and 54,000 on Instagram.

The party’s outreach to prominent influencers extends beyond the DNC.

Biden’s administration last week hosted the first White House Creator Economy Conference in Washington. The one-day gathering brought together a group of digital creators and industry professionals to discuss pressing issues within the creator economy, including privacy, AI and mental health.

Loren Piretra, an influencer from Brentwood, was among those invited to attend the conference, which included time with Biden.

“This is a massive industry, and it’s time that it’s taken seriously,” said Piretra, who is also chief marketing officer of Los Angeles creator platform Fanfix. “Creators have been able to democratize the idea of celebrity and influence, so it’s only natural that the White House wants to strengthen their connections to this important community.”

Times staff writer Noah Bierman in Chicago and Bloomberg contributed to this report.