Politics
The Steyer campaign pays influencers. Their posts don’t always make that clear
WASHINGTON — In recent weeks, several social media influencers have popped up in online feeds touting the California gubernatorial campaign of billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer.
Some complain about the price of gasoline. Others mention environmental concerns. One cites her newfound sobriety as evidence that people can change — a nod to Steyer’s self-proclaimed metamorphosis from hedge fund titan to scourge of big corporations.
“I did not expect the most progressive governor candidate to be a billionaire, but look at the policies you guys,” said one content creator on TikTok with the user name Jaz R. “Hear me out. I know Tom Steyer is a billionaire, but he also is for the people.”
The posts include direct-to-the-camera appeals, with personal details interwoven into messages of support for Steyer. An influencer goes for a stroll as onscreen text touts Steyer’s policies. Some seek to convey authenticity, if occasionally ham-fistedly; one influencer mispronounces Steyer’s last name.
What they do not include is a disclosure that their creators were paid by the Steyer campaign to produce the videos, according to a complaint filed this week with California’s Fair Political Practices Commission and a Times review of the posts.
The complaint alleges that the Steyer campaign failed to notify the influencers it hired of their obligation to inform their audience when their posts have been sponsored by the campaign.
California passed a law in 2023 requiring that influencers disclose if they have been paid to create promotional content for or against a candidate or ballot measure, one of the few jurisdictions in the country with such a requirement. There is no such requirement at the federal level.
“Every time there’s a new technology, you have to create legislation that requires them to disclose,” said state Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Orange), who sponsored the bill.
Violating the law doesn’t carry criminal, civil or administrative penalties, but the FPPC can take influencers who break the law to court and ask a judge to force them to comply.
The complaint was filed by two California women — political influencers themselves — who said they noticed a number of new accounts that suddenly started posting similar-sounding videos promoting Steyer earlier this month.
“They had the exact same language, they had the same talking points,” said Beatrice Gomberg, who worked with Kaitlyn Hennessy in their digital sleuthing efforts.
The FPPC did not comment on the complaint.
Steyer’s campaign appears to have relied on paid influencers more than any candidate for governor, according to the most recent campaign finance filings.
That spending represents only a small fraction of the massive campaign war chest Steyer has seeded with nearly $180 million of his own money. But the complaint highlights the growing degree to which political candidates have come to seek out the authenticity that social media influencers seem to offer.
Steyer campaign spokesperson Kevin Liao said the campaign had properly followed the rules in hiring influencers and that the campaign is “confident” that Gomberg and Hennessy’s complaint is “baseless.”
“Creators make their living generating content. The campaign believes in compensating people for their time and work product and has paid creators to generate content,” Liao said in a statement. “Payments for creator content are disclosed in campaign finance reports, and we notify creators we directly work with of their disclosure requirements.”
While many of the new Steyer influencers have few followers, Steyer’s campaign disclosed in its most recent campaign finance report that it had paid thousands of dollars to numerous social media influencers with massive audiences, the Sacramento Bee reported.
Several of the videos produced by these popular social media personalities also failed to disclose that they had been paid by the campaign, according to the complaint and The Times’ review of the content.
But even accounts with few followers can still have a big impact if they are producing a steady stream of content supporting Steyer, said veteran California political strategist Mike Madrid.
“What they’re trying to do is trip the algorithm,” he said. “It looks like it has a bigger audience than it really does. It’s taking the concept of astroturfing into the digital age.”
Gomberg and Hennessy said they became friends after meeting at an April campaign event for Xavier Becerra, Steyer’s chief Democratic rival in the race, who holds a narrow advantage over Steyer in several recent political polls.
The pair have been prolific social media supporters of Becerra’s campaign ever since, though they insist they are not being paid for their efforts.
They said they discovered that many of the new pro-Steyer accounts seemed to be run by influencers — mostly women — who had previously created different social media accounts to hawk other products.
One of the pro-Steyer influencers had an online portfolio listing numerous clients, including the Steyer campaign and a gummy designed to boost arousal, according to the complaint and the Times review of the publicly accessible website.
The pair said they stumbled on an advertisement placed by a vendor for the campaign on a platform used by creators to find work. The advertisement indicated that creators would be paid $10 for each post, with bonuses for posts that amassed large viewership.
The vendor who posted the ad did not respond to a request for comment.
The advertisement has since been updated to say that it pays $1,000 per month and that creators will have to disclose that it is paid content.
As Gomberg and Hennessy dug deeper, they determined that some of the influencers promoting a candidate for governor weren’t even based in California.
A TikTok account using the handle jess.votes, for example, appears to be connected to a woman registered to vote in Florida. Other accounts were connected to women who indicated elsewhere that they were based in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Michigan.
Several influencers who created seemingly paid content promoting Steyer did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Times.
The brouhaha over paid social media content is just the latest instance of the growing political impact of online creators.
Eric Swalwell’s campaign for governor — and congressional career — came to an end after multiple women accused him of sexual assault. A pair of influencers had publicly raised concerns about Swalwell’s behavior and helped connect victims with journalists who produced highly detailed reports of the allegations.
The California law requires influencers to disclose in a political post’s audio or text that it was sponsored and who paid for it.
The onus is on the creators to make the disclosure, but campaigns are required to tell them that they must do so. Despite passage of the law, the issue has so far remained largely under the radar.
“I have dozens of candidates and campaigns and I have not heard this issue come up one time,” said a campaign finance lawyer who requested anonymity because they represent numerous candidates with active campaigns.
Gomberg and Hennessy said that they were driven to call attention to potential violations of the disclosure requirements because of their concern about the corrosive influence such paid content could have if left unchecked.
“You have people who have trust in these creators,” Hennessy said. “You have a responsibility to your audience.”
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Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., cursed out a Fox News Digital reporter after he began asking about allegations of a sexual relationship between her and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that were recently raised by a woman identifying herself as Massie’s ex-girlfriend.
“F – – – you, first of all!’ Boebert said to a Fox News Digital reporter when bringing up claims from Massie’s alleged ex-girlfriend.
“If you’re gonna bring me into this, like, the sexist stuff is like out of control,” she continued. “So there’s your clickbait that you were looking for.”
FIVE TIMES NANCY PELOSI LOST HER COOL WITH THE MEDIA
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., reacts to a Fox News Digital reporter’s question about allegations involving Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., before ending the interview and walking away. (Nicholas Ballasy/Fox News Digital)
Boebert then declined to discuss the allegations further.
The exchange came after Boebert had been discussing President Donald Trump’s efforts to unseat Republican incumbents and Massie’s political future.
The former congressional staffer Cynthia West, who previously worked for Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., accused Massie of bragging to her about an alleged sexual encounter with Boebert within weeks of his wife’s death.
West also accused Massie of offering her $5,000 to drop a wrongful termination lawsuit she was pursuing against Spartz, an ally of Massie. The allegations surfaced just a week before Massie lost his House seat in the May 19 Republican primary.
“I don’t want to talk about anybody’s exes and their crazy s– – – that they do,” Boebert said to the reporter.
Before the exchange turned contentious, Boebert was answering questions about whether Trump’s strategy of backing primary challengers against Republican incumbents is backfiring on the GOP agenda.
MTG SAYS GOP’S FUTURE ‘DESTROYED’ AFTER TRUMP-BACKED PRIMARY CHALLENGER DEFEATS THOMAS MASSIE IN PRIMARY
Rep. Lauren Boebert defended her support for Rep. Thomas Massie after criticism from President Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Salwan Georges/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I think most of the folks that have lost their primaries, they were backfiring on the GOP agenda — Cassidy, Cornyn,” Boebert replied.
“I mean, obviously Thomas Massie is the only one that I’m a little sad about,” she said.
Boebert was also asked about Massie’s recent announcement that he is filing for re-election in 2028. Many are speculating that Massie could make a 2028 presidential run as he said he is unsure which position he will be seeking re-election for.
“I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run,” he wrote in a post on X announcing his re-election filing with the Federal Election Commission.
TRUMP CALLS OUT REP THOMAS MASSIE: ‘KENTUCKY, GET THIS LOSER OUT OF POLITICS’ TUESDAY
Rep. Thomas Massie speaks with supporters after his concession speech in Hebron, Ky., on May 19, 2026. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
Boebert shared that she was unsure of Massie’s next move, before she reprimanded the reporter for shifting the conversation to allegations raised by West.
“He filed for something,” she said. “He didn’t specify what and I don’t know if he’s going to move forward with that or not. I don’t know.” “Hopefully he leaves here and makes some money,” Boebert added.
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Moments later, the reporter began asking about the allegations from Massie’s alleged ex-girlfriend, prompting Boebert’s expletive-laced response.
Boebert declined to discuss the allegations further and walked away from the interview.
Politics
Becerra advances to November, moves closer to becoming California’s first elected Latino governor
Veteran Democratic politician Xavier Becerra won one of the top two spots in California’s primary for governor, according to the Associated Press, a finish that puts him in a prime position to win the November general election and make history as California’s first elected Latino governor.
“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Xavier Becerra said in a statement Friday. “We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come.”
Former Fox News host Steve Hilton, a Republican, remains in a close second and appears on the cusp of securing the right to face off with Becerra in the November general election.
“Steve is already focused on November, traveling the state, meeting with voters, and continuing to build a coalition of Californians who want change after 16 years of one-party rule,” said Hector Barajas, a Hilton spokesman.
Democrat Tom Steyer, a hedge fund founder turned climate change activist, appears likely to finish in third place — a disappointing end to a campaign that saturated California’s television screens, social media scrolls and mailboxes thanks to the billionaire spending $216 million of his own wealth.
Becerra’s victory was declared by the Associated Press on Friday evening, three days after the June 2 election — an indication of the competitive race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom and California’s lengthy process of counting ballots. After polls closed on Tuesday, Hilton was in the lead. He and Becerra were within a percentage point of each other by Friday, though that could change as the vote tally continues.
While his fate is not sealed, Steyer faces long odds to finish in the top two.
“Nothing changes for us. We’re waiting to see if there are enough votes left to be counted to put Tom into the runoff,” said Steyer spokesman Anthony York. “We knew since Tuesday that this was a matter of overtaking Hilton. Today’s call does nothing to change that.”
Under California’s primary system, only the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation.
Becerra would enter the general election campaign with a significant edge over Hilton since Democratic voters in California outnumber Republicans by an almost 2-to-1 margin, a telltale reason why no GOP candidate has won a statewide race since 2006.
President Trump’s endorsement of Hilton helped consolidate support from Republican voters, which was pivotal to his success in the primary, but would likely hurt him in a face-off against Becerra. Nearly two-thirds of voters in the state want a governor who will fight Trump’s policies, according to the survey by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
Becerra could make history by becoming the first Latino to be elected governor — and the first to lead the state in more than 150 years. The last time a Latino held the office was in 1875, when then-Lt. Gov. Romualdo Pacheco was elevated to fill a vacancy and served for 10 months.
“California has made history. Xavier Becerra’s advancement to the general election is a defining moment both for the state, and for the millions of Latino families who have been instrumental in shaping the state’s future,” said Voto Latino Executive Director Beatriz Lopez. “As home to the nation’s largest Latino population, California will once again demonstrate the decisive power of Latino voters.”
Though Latinos make up about 40% of the state’s population and are California’s largest ethnic group, they historically have lower turnout in elections and are underrepresented in government. While Becerra often cites his upbringing as a child of working-class Mexican immigrants, he must demonstrate that he can deliver for these communities, said Christian Arana, vice president of civic power and policy at the California-based Latino Community Foundation.
“There’s a lot of excitement about the representation side,” Arana said. “You can have Latino representation, but whether or not that will actually lead to tangible outcomes for Latino communities, that’s what people want to know.”
Once in the single-digits in public polls with a handful of other Democratic candidates, Becerra rose quickly and unexpectedly following the political demise of former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin).
Becerra’s ascent began days after Swalwell dropped out of the race in April in the midst of allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that he denies. Becerra quickly consolidated support from Democratic leaders and allies, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and influential groups such as Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the California Medical Assn.
But both supporters and critics of Becerra struggle to explain exactly how or why he became the main beneficiary of Swalwell’s downfall.
Becerra’s campaign credits the timing of a major television and digital advertising push. The political ads began running just before the allegations against Swalwell came out and depicted Becerra as a calm, experienced leader with a record pushing back against Trump and support from Young Democrat groups.
Steyer’s campaign hired an intelligence firm to look into the online surge favoring Becerra and found thousands of bot accounts had amplified Becerra on various social media platforms. Becerra’s campaign denied any involvement and dismissed the influence of the fake accounts.
Political experts describe it as the stars aligning for Becerra. In the aftermath of the Swalwell scandal, voters were apparently drawn to Becerra’s long resume and stoic, thoughtful demeanor.
“He just never overreacted. Even when attacked [during debates], he was calm,” said Fernando Guerra, professor of Chicano Studies at Loyola Marymount University. That “gave the sense of being a moderate, while he’s really a liberal, so he was able to appeal not only to Latinos, but to liberals and to moderates.”
After Swalwell’s campaign crumbled, members of the political brain trust — many with ties to Newsom — that had been advising the former congressman began working for Becerra, including veteran consultants Lindsey Cobia and Courtni Pugh and digital strategist Alf LaMont.
“There was nothing going for him for a long, long time,” said Jason McDaniel, associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University. “I do think it was just people looking for someone who had a lot of experience who could win.”
Becerra’s first election victory was to win a seat in the state Assembly in 1990. He served one term before successfully running for a Los Angeles congressional seat, which he held for 24 years.
Then-Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Becerra as state attorney general in 2017, a post he used to challenge Trump administration policies in the courts more than a 100 times — with great success. Becerra, who helped craft the Affordable Care Act in Congress, defended it as attorney general, and President Biden nominated him to serve as his secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The 68-year-old faced criticism about his record leading the massive federal agency, particularly over a New York Times investigation that found thousands of unaccompanied migrant children ended up working in dangerous jobs after they were released to sponsors.
Some former Biden administration officials, many of them anonymous, have also criticized Becerra’s leadership of the agency.
Still, Becerra’s supporters said the candidate’s experience, particularly when it comes to fighting the Trump administration, qualifies him for California’s top job.
“He’s had some very important positions in government,” labor leader Dolores Huerta said at Becerra’s election night party in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. “He is qualified. He doesn’t have to go into a learning mode.”
“He’s a legal scholar,” added David Dixon, a political science professor at Cal State Dominguez Hills and brother of a longtime Becerra aide. “When our Constitution is threatened, we need people like him to be in positions of power to reclaim things we are losing now.”
Times staff writers Dakota Smith and Andrew Khouri contributed to this report.
Politics
Steve Hilton launches ad mocking Xavier Becerra’s ’36 years’ as a career politician in California gov race
Steve Hilton vows to repair California’s election system as primary results remain undecided
California primary election results for governor and Los Angeles mayor are still delayed days after the vote, as officials continue counting mail-in ballots. Meanwhile, Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner faces a new wave of troubling allegations from ex-girlfriends, which he labels politically motivated. Congressman Ro Khanna defends Platner, despite warnings from other Democrats.
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California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton launched a new campaign ad Saturday targeting former Biden administration official Xavier Becerra, signaling the general election fight may already be underway even as primary ballots continue to be counted.
The 55-second ad mocks Becerra’s lengthy political career and record in government, portraying the Democrat as a continuation of California’s political status quo.
The ad features silent clips of Becerra appearing on an old-fashioned TV screen while captions flash across the screen, including: “I’ve been a career politician for 36 years. Vote for me.”
Other captions reference issues likely to become central themes in the governor’s race, including homelessness, California’s high-speed rail project and Becerra’s tenure as secretary of Health and Human Services in former President Joe Biden’s administration.
HILTON, BECERRA, IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR
The ad also attempts to tie Becerra to Gov. Gavin Newsom, ending with the message: “I’ll change nothing about how California is governed,” followed by the tagline, “Don’t watch another rerun.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Becerra and the Hilton campaigns for comment.
The ad comes less than 24 hours after The Associated Press projected Becerra would advance to California’s November gubernatorial election to succeed the term-limited Newsom.
CALIFORNIA ELECTION LIMBO FUELED BY 4 PRESSURE POINTS DRAGGING OUT VOTE COUNT, EXPERT SAYS
Republican governor candidate Steve Hilton speaks during a news conference in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, File)
As vote counting continued Saturday, Becerra led the field with 26.8% of the vote, according to AP totals. Hilton received 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer had 21.1%.
Roughly 68% of ballots had been counted as of Saturday afternoon.
In a statement after the AP race call, Becerra celebrated the result and framed his campaign as a fight for California voters.
XAVIER BECERRA PRESSED ON ‘RUMORS’ HE KNEW ABOUT ERIC SWALWELL’S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT DURING CA GOVERNOR DEBATE
California gubernatorial hopefuls Xavier Becerra, left, and Steve Hilton participate in a candidate debate in San Francisco. (Laure Andrillon/AP Photo, File)
“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Becerra said. “We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come.”
Becerra’s campaign also said the result makes him the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election, calling it a historic milestone for the state.
If elected in November, Becerra would become California’s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly served as governor in 1875.
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Becerra, a former California attorney general, served as Health and Human Services secretary during the Biden administration before launching his gubernatorial campaign.
Hilton, a former Fox News host and political commentator, has campaigned as a political outsider and agent of change, arguing California is headed in the wrong direction under Democratic leadership.
Results from Tuesday’s primary have not yet been certified.
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