WalkAway campaign

The WalkAway campaign, also styled #WalkAway, is a social media campaign that was launched ahead of the United States 2018 mid-term elections by Brandon Straka, a hairstylist and actor from New York City.[1][2] According to the campaign's website, the campaign "encourages and supports those on the Left to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the Democratic Party of today."[3]

Online coverage

New York Post and Fox News websites posted coverage of WalkAway after a Washington rally in 2018.[4][5]

In August 2019, President Donald Trump thanked Straka on Twitter for the movement.[6]

Controversy

News sources have debated the extent to which WalkAway is an example of astroturfing rather than a genuine grassroots movement. David A. Love of CNN condemned the campaign as "pure propaganda, a psychological operation" and "connected to Kremlin-linked Russian bots".[7] The website Hamilton 68, which tracks Russia's interference on U.S. elections, reported that WalkAway was "connected to Kremlin-linked Russian bots to manipulate voters into thinking the movement was more popular and active that it actually was."[6]

Abby Ohlheiser in The Washington Post claimed "There’s little actual evidence to suggest that #WalkAway represents a mass conversion of millions – or even thousands – of Democrats", and contrasted the broad appeal of true viral videos with the "Conservative Internet viral" nature of the WalkAway video.[8] ThinkProgress characterized the campaign as "a grifting operation," noting efforts by the organizers to sell dinner packages priced in the hundreds of dollars to march attendees.[9]

Slate journalist Mark Joseph Stern accused Straka of presenting royalty-free stock images from Shutterstock and claiming they were of people who had left the Democratic Party.[10] Straka has denied that any such material originated from the WalkAway campaign. Snopes posted a tweet from Stern stating that the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas shared the meme.[11]

Straka has stated that WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100."[6] As of May 2020, the Center for Responsive Politics reported that of the $20,004 donated to WalkAway in 2020, $7,521 were contributed by nine large ($200 or more) donors—of which Straka is one.[12]

See also

References
  1. FitSimons, Tim (21 August 2018). "Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats". NBC News. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  2. #WalkAway Campaign Official YouTube (2018-06-29), #WalkAway - Brandon Straka, "Why I left the Democrat Party", retrieved 2018-11-03
  3. #WalkAway Campaign", retrieved 2020-01-21
  4. "#Walkaway movement urges liberals to abandon Democrats". New York Post. 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  5. "#WalkAway movement urges disgruntled Democrats to leave the party behind". Fox News. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  6. Suggs, Ernie. "#Walkaway movement to hold Atlanta event amid questions about support". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  7. Love, David A. "Russian bots are using #WalkAway to try to wound Dems in midterms". CNN. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  8. Ohlheiser, Abby (2 July 2018). "Analysis | The #WalkAway meme is what happens when everything is viral and nothing matters". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  9. Michel, Casey (16 October 2018). "Pro-Trump #WalkAway March has all the signs of a grifting operation". ThinkProgress.
  10. "These people who "walked away from the Democrats" are stock-photo models". Fast Company. 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  11. "FACT CHECK: Did the #WalkAway Campaign Use Stock Photographs for People It Claimed Left the Democratic Party?". Snopes.com. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  12. "Walkaway Campaign PAC Summary | OpenSecrets". www.opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
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