How online money is reshaping the Democratic Party
SOMMERVILLE, MASS. -- By the time of November’s election, Democratic candidates and liberal groups will have raised an astounding $1.5 billion in online contributions alone. And nearly every cent of it will arrive first in a mostly empty basement, where a printer the size of a carry-on suitcase processes checks next to a solitary cardboard cutout of former President Bill Clinton.
This is ActBlue, the not-for-profit group that has become a ubiquitous presence in Democratic politics, providing an online fundraising platform for just about every entity inside the party. If you’ve ever donated to one of the party’s candidates, or one of the recently formed grassroots progressive “pop-up” groups, you probably used ActBlue.
Few groups, then, have a better view of how a surge of relatively small, online contributions is reshaping the party’s priorities and campaigns — or how they are poised to upend the upcoming Democratic presidential primary.
“It’s an extraordinary time in politics,” said Matt DeBergalis, ActBlue’s co-founder who now serves as its chairman of the board. “I’m proud that we’re part of it. I’m proud we’ve built what we have, and frankly, I think we have a lot of work to do.”
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