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The '''WalkAway campaign''', also styled '''#WalkAway''', is a [[social-media campaign]] that was launched ahead of the [[2018 midterm elections|United States 2018 mid-term elections]] by Brandon Straka, a hairstylist from New York City.<ref name="FitsimonsDemocrats">{{cite news |last1=FitSimons |first1=Tim |title=Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/meet-brandon-straka-gay-former-liberal-encouraging-others-walkaway-democrats-n902316 |accessdate=18 March 2019 |publisher=NBC News |date=21 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=#WalkAway Campaign Official YouTube|title=#WalkAway - Brandon Straka, "Why I left the Democrat Party"|date=2018-06-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51UGcghHZsk|access-date=2018-11-03}}</ref> According to its website, the campaign "encourages and supports those on the [[Left (political spectrum)|Left]] to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] of today."<ref>{{Citation|title=#WalkAway Campaign"|url=https://www.walkawaycampaign.com/|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref>
The '''WalkAway campaign''', also styled '''#WalkAway''', is a [[social-media campaign]] that was launched ahead of the [[2018 midterm elections|United States 2018 mid-term elections]] by Brandon Straka, a hairstylist from New York City.<ref name="FitsimonsDemocrats">{{cite news |last1=FitSimons |first1=Tim |title=Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/meet-brandon-straka-gay-former-liberal-encouraging-others-walkaway-democrats-n902316 |accessdate=18 March 2019 |publisher=NBC News |date=21 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=#WalkAway Campaign Official YouTube|title=#WalkAway - Brandon Straka, "Why I left the Democrat Party"|date=2018-06-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51UGcghHZsk|access-date=2018-11-03}}</ref> According to its website, the campaign "encourages and supports those on the [[Left (politics)|Left]] to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] of today."<ref>{{Citation|title=#WalkAway Campaign"|url=https://www.walkawaycampaign.com/|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref>


== Controversy ==
== Controversy ==

Revision as of 22:58, 18 October 2020

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 from New York City.[1][2] According to its 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]

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 [and] a psychological operation.[4] 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."[5]

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.[6] 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.[7]

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, [8] though 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.[clarification needed][9]

Straka has stated that WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100."[5] As of May 2020, the Center for Responsive Politics reported that of the $20,104 donated to WalkAway in 2020, $7,521 were contributed by nine large ($200 or more) donors—of which Straka is one.[10][better source needed]

WalkAway received a $10,000 donation from Alex Jones and InfoWars.[11][12] When questioned about whether WalkAway accepted the $10,000 donation from Jones and his company, Straka replied that he was grateful for the donation.[13]

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. ^ Love, David A. "Russian bots are using #WalkAway to try to wound Dems in midterms". CNN. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  5. ^ a b Suggs, Ernie. "#Walkaway movement to hold Atlanta event amid questions about support". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2020-05-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ 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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Michel, Casey (16 October 2018). "Pro-Trump #WalkAway March has all the signs of a grifting operation". ThinkProgress.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "These people who "walked away from the Democrats" are stock-photo models". Fast Company. 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  9. ^ "FACT CHECK: Did the #WalkAway Campaign Use Stock Photographs for People It Claimed Left the Democratic Party?". Snopes.com. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  10. ^ "Walkaway Campaign PAC Summary | OpenSecrets". www.opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  11. ^ Isaacs, Deanna (July 10, 2019). "A dramatic confrontation between the right-wing political group #WalkAway and Theater Wit ends up on YouTube". The Chicago Reader.
  12. ^ Fitzsimons, Tim (August 21, 2018). "Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats". NBC.
  13. ^ "Hi everyone, I'm Brandon Straka, founder of #WalkAway Campaign, a true grassroots movement..." Retrieved 2020-08-20.
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