A progressive nonprofit funded mainly by Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer
Tom SteyerOvernight Energy: 'Eye of fire,' Exxon lobbyist's comments fuel renewed attacks on oil industry | Celebrities push Biden to oppose controversial Minnesota pipeline | More than 75 companies ask Congress to pass clean electricity standard Celebrities push Biden to oppose controversial Minnesota pipeline Six things to watch as California heads for recall election MORE is investing $45 million as part of a youth voter turnout campaign ahead of the 2020 election.
NextGen America said the multimillion-dollar investment will go toward registering, engaging and mobilizing young voters in 11 states to elect Democrats up and down the ballot as part of efforts to elect a Democratic president and deliver control of the Senate and state legislatures across the country to Democrats.
“Yet again, it’s going to come down to young Americans to save the country,” NextGen America Executive Director Ben Wessel said in the Monday announcement. “NextGen America’s 2020 program will beat Trump, flip the Senate, and make sure that our generation has a prayer at a livable planet with a more equitable economy. We absolutely cannot afford to lose this year.”
The group, founded by Steyer, is focusing the organizing campaign on 11 battleground states: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Steyer stepped down as president of NextGen after announcing his presidential bid.
The group’s goal is to register at least 270,000 young people, aged 18 to 35, to vote and turn out 330,000 already-registered voters in the identified states.
The $45 million will fund on-the-ground field organizing on campuses and in communities, digital tactics, and experiment-informed direct mail. In addition to pushing the battleground states to vote blue in the 2020 presidential election, the group is targeting a group of Republican senators.
NextGen’s push is looking to defeat Republican Sens. Joni Ernst
Joni Kay ErnstSenate Republican: 'We want to welcome Afghan evacuees who are fully vetted' Sunday shows preview: Chaos in Kabul mars US evacuation efforts Overnight Defense: Chaos at the gates as Kabul evacs enter fifth day MORE (Iowa), Thom Tillis
Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisHow to fix the semiconductor chip shortage (it's more than manufacturing) The 19 GOP senators who voted for the T infrastructure bill Budget package includes plan for pathway to citizenship, green cards for millions MORE (N.C.), Martha McSally
Martha Elizabeth McSallyThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by AT&T - Senate passes infrastructure bill, budget resolution; Cuomo resigns Schumer, Tim Scott lead as Senate fundraising pace heats up GOP group launches million ad campaign pressing Kelly on filibuster MORE (Ariz.) and Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsWelcome to ground zero of climate chaos A tale of two chambers: Trump's power holds in House, wanes in Senate Bipartisan blip: Infrastructure deal is last of its kind without systemic change MORE (Maine), as well as defend Democratic Sens. Gary Peters
Gary PetersFreedomWorks misfires on postal reform Senators call on Taiwan for aid in automotive chip shortage Lawmakers raise concerns over federal division of cybersecurity responsibilities MORE (Mich.) and Jeanne Shaheen
Cynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenOvernight Defense: Chaos at the gates as Kabul evacs enter fifth day 55 bipartisan senators call on Biden to 'immediately evacuate' Afghans who helped US Afghan women express shock, fear, defiance under new Taliban rule MORE (N.H.).
The group is also aiming to flip the state legislative chambers in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
