|
 The sign stands for a political action committee that supports
Democrats running for state posts in Republican-controlled Ohio,
Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas and Florida - OMG WTF being
the first letters of each state.
But the acronym is also a "sentiment we all feel on a daily
basis," Ben Sheehan, a former producer of "Funny or Die" comedy
videos, told the crowd to laughs.
Hollywood has been at the forefront of the political resistance
to President Donald Trump, using awards shows, social media and
donations to promote progressive positions on issues from
immigration to gun control.
Now, the entertainment industry is using its star power and
creativity to support down-ballot candidates in the Nov. 6
elections. Down-ballot races are typically state and local
positions that are listed on voting ballots below national
posts.
This approach is part of the way Hollywood is rewriting its
script for political action following Trump's shock election in
2016.
Every four years, celebrities headline fundraisers and hit the
campaign trail for presidential hopefuls. A lengthy roster from
Katy Perry to George Clooney and LeBron James endorsed Democrat
Hillary Clinton, Trump's rival.
But A-list entertainers typically have been less visible in
midterm elections, and when they have appeared, it has been for
high-profile races. On Sunday, pop singer Taylor Swift broke her
silence on politics to endorse Democratic candidates for
governor and the U.S. Senate in Tennessee.
After Trump took office and started instituting policies such as
a travel ban for people from several Muslim-majority nations,
Hollywood talent grew eager to push back, according to political
strategists, who took a hard look at how the industry could
respond most effectively.
VOTERS UNDER 35
Some Hollywood groups were already targeting U.S. Senate and
House of Representatives seats as Democrats seek to win control
of those bodies from Trump's Republicans and block his agenda.
So 33-year-old Sheehan started OMG WTF to draw attention to
under-the-radar races such as for governor and attorney general.
The group has hosted an improv comedy night for Georgia
gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and a magic show for
Gretchen Whitmer, a candidate for governor in Michigan.
Celebrities including "Glee" star Darren Criss and "West Wing"
actor Bradley Whitford have taken part in its events, which are
aimed particularly at voters under 35, an age group with
historically low turnout.
Whitford said intensifying the focus on down-ballot races was
especially important for Democrats.
"On the right, if they lose an election, they run for school
board, they run for attorney general and they start a think
tank," Whitford said in an interview. "The left throws their
hands up and says the system is corrupt, and ends up not
participating."
[to top of second column] |
"I think we need to cultivate that awareness among progressive
voters, especially among the young people," he said.
At the piano-bar fundraiser, guests sipped Dark 'n Stormy and White
Russian cocktails under a mirrored disco ball while Sheehan
explained the significance of down-ballot races.
State office holders can serve as a check on Trump, he told
attendees. Attorneys general have the power to sue to block federal
laws, while secretaries of state influence voter access. Many
governors, Sheehan added, can veto gerrymandered congressional
district boundaries that state legislatures reshape once a decade.
"When the federal government is not going to act, we can piece
change together state by state," Sheehan said.
Plus, state leaders become the bench to draw candidates from for
future national races, he added.
OMG WTF said it raised more than $100,000 in the first few weeks
after its launch this summer. The money is donated to Democrats
running in down-ballot races and finances educational material and
events on college campuses.
Elsewhere, singer John Legend has urged support for district
attorney candidates who favor criminal justice reform, and Alyssa
Milano has worked the phones on behalf of candidates including
Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.
DO CELEBRITIES MATTER?
The influence that celebrities have on elections is unclear. After
Clinton lost, there were questions about whether some voters were
turned off by having Hollywood stars jet into their states and
telling them how to vote.
This time, strategists are directing celebrities to races in their
home states, where they know people and the local issues and can
help raise candidates' name recognition.
"When it comes to local races, people who have celebrity status and
have a genuine connection to the candidate or race, I don't think
that hurts," said Hannah Linkenhoker, senior political strategist at
talent agency ICM Partners and founder of ICM Politics.
Swift and pop idol Rihanna this week made public appeals for people
to register to vote.
Amos Buhai, media company Endeavor's vice president of government
relations, said activists in Hollywood will need to measure if
registrations translate into votes.
Endeavor is hosting a non-partisan event this month in Nashville
where celebrities will walk people to early-voting stations.
Organizers hope to use the event to measure how many people actually
cast ballots in early voting.
"If it's successful, it's something we could see expanding in 2020,"
Buhai said.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Cynthia
Osterman)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
