Organization will spend $5.2 million on field, mail, and digital ads to turn out young voters for Andrew Gillum, Bill Nelson and Democrats in November
Tallahassee, FL — Today, NextGen America announced a $5.2 million push to elect Andrew Gillum, Bill Nelson, and Florida Democrats this November. The newly announced investment includes $2.5 million towards digital ads, $750,000 towards NextGen’s field program, $800,000 towards mail, and an additional $1 million towards For Our Future’s Florida field program. With the announcement, NextGen also launched “Forward with Gillum” — its first general election digital ad in support of Gillum’s campaign for Governor.
“Andrew Gillum is not afraid to tell the truth, will put the people before the powerful, and represents the next generation of leadership in the Democratic Party,” said NextGen America President Tom Steyer. “NextGen America knows that if we can expand our democracy and turn people out to vote who feel like they’ve been shut out by the establishment and Washington politicians, we can bring home a win for Democrats up and down the ticket in Florida.”
The field push will build on NextGen Florida’s current organizing program. NextGen Florida has been on the ground since September 2017. With 118 staff working to engage young Floridians across the state, NextGen has already registered over 42,000 young Floridians in 2018. NextGen Florida is organizing on 45 college campuses, including four HBCUS and 10 community colleges.
NextGen endorsed Andrew Gillum in June, its first primary endorsement since 2013. In the months leading up to primary Election Day, NextGen ran a comprehensive campaign, which included running digital ads targeting over 500,000 young voters and sending mail to over 350,000 young Floridians.NextGen Florida organizers and volunteers knocked on over 81,000 doors and registered over 19,000 voters before the July 30th registration deadline. NextGen also made over 75,000 calls and sent over 300,000 texts encouraging voters to go to the polls and make their voices heard to support of Andrew Gillum. Now, NextGen is committed to continuing this work to ensure that young people show up at the polls and bring it home in November.
NextGen’s work with young voters in Florida is part of NextGen Rising — the largest youth organizing program in American history to register, engage, and mobilize young voters, on and off campuses, across eleven states ahead of November 6th, 2018.