San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer plans to sink $100 million into his Democratic presidential primary bid, but some Democrats want him to share the wealth instead.
Tina Podlodowski, chair of the Washington State Democrats, said such a sum would be better spent electing Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, instead of on what the New Republican described as a “vanity project.”
“$100M would give SUCH a boost to every State Party in the country, allowing us to win up & down the ballot & invest in our organizers and volunteers,” she tweeted Tuesday. “Invest in OUR people and THEIR power @TomSteyer not this bid.”
Washington state Rep. Gael Tarleton agreed, chiming in, “Dem voters tired of billionaires who self-fund. Steyer tone-deaf to voters.”
Democrat Cynthia Nixon, who unsuccessfully challenged New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018, told Mr. Steyer to “think of all the good your $100 million could do for the environment, rather than trying to muscle your way into an already over-crowded and very promising presidential field.”
$100M would give SUCH a boost to every State Party in the country, allowing us to win up & down the ballot & invest in our organizers and volunteers. Invest in OUR people and THEIR power @TomSteyer not this bid. Please don’t Schultz it up! @washdems know!https://t.co/npJ7znwBFV
— Tina Podlodowski (@Tinapo) July 9, 2019
We need to stop the practice of billionaires trying to buy elections. @TomSteyer, think of all the good your $100 million could do for the environment, rather than trying to muscle your way into an already over-crowded and very promising presidential field. https://t.co/83e3pb2GEB
— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) July 9, 2019
Steyer could be choosing to fund popular initiatives to implement automatic voter registration, restrict disenfranchisement, raise the minimum wage, counter right-to-work. But why do that when you could try to buy yourself the White House instead? https://t.co/CT1YGfhvTt
— Taniel (@Taniel) July 9, 2019
Several progressive activists had similar thoughts. The Left’s Adam Best tweeted, “If Tom Steyer is going to light $100 million on fire to pay for a doomed presidential campaign, he should give that money to Flint for clean water instead.”
Mr. Steyer announced his candidacy Tuesday, shifting gears after spending the last year pushing to impeach President Trump. Spokesman Alberto Lammers told news outlets that the candidate planned to spend at least $100 million on his campaign.
It’s not like Mr. Steyer hasn’t already spent $100 million helping other Democrats: He sunk $91 million into liberal candidates and causes in 2016, making him the party’s top donor that year, and followed up with $74 million in 2018, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Vox’s Kelsey Piper suggested that he “redouble these efforts for 2020, getting more voters registered and mobilized for whichever candidate does emerge from the Democratic primaries.”
Meanwhile, Slate chimed in, “How Many Florida Voters Could Tom Steyer Enfranchise for the Amount He Plans to Spend Running for President?”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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