Tom Steyer announces $7M effort to bring out young voters in Florida, California

Billionaire Democratic donor Tom Steyer on Wednesday announced separate $3.5 million investments in California and Florida to turn out young voters in this year’s midterm elections.

The two states are primary focuses of a $30 million campaign through Steyer’s organization, NextGen America, to register and engage young voters across the country. 

In Florida, the group plans to reach more than 1.5 million young voters through registration efforts, in-person conversations and targeted mailing programs. The organization will hire more than 100 organizers to meet with voters on dozens of college campuses and encourage them to elect progressive candidates. 

{mosads}“Young Floridians want leaders who tell the truth, not deny science and risk public health. They want leaders who will safeguard their schools and protect their friends at a nightclub,” Steyer said in a statement, referencing the Florida mass shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016 and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in February.

Efforts in Florida will focus on reelecting Sen. Bill Nelson (D) and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D), electing a progressive candidate as governor and flipping three House seats currently held by vulnerable Republicans.

In California, the $3.5 million will target 300,000 young voters and allow NextGen America to hire more than 80 organizers to visit dozens of college campuses.

The focus in California will be on flipping seven congressional seats currently held by Republicans, including those of Reps. Steve Knight, Darrell Issa, Ed Royce and Dana Rohrabacher. 

“The road to taking back the House runs straight through California, and to the Republicans who have failed to represent us, NextGen Rising has a message: young people won’t put up with that,” Steyer said in a statement.

Steyer announced in January that he would not seek office this year, but instead would sink tens of millions of dollars into an effort to flip the House to the Democrats. In addition to California and Florida, Steyer plans to focus on securing victories in Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada and other states.

The billionaire donor has also led a campaign to impeach President Trump, spending millions on ads and collecting millions of signatures on a petition for the effort.