It’s not the most noticeable change to our lives that coronavirus is forcing, but it might be one of the more consequential ones in the long term: Political campaigns can’t be conducted in person right now. No rallies, no door-knocking, no in-person fundraisers. That shifts the playing field—and it may shift it toward Republicans, who have spent recent years investing in digital campaigning and bringing it to new depths of ruthless dishonesty, which social media companies often let stand.
Democrats are stuck fighting over whether to be ruthless and dishonest to compete with Republicans, and if not, how to take the high road to victory.
A New York Times article details some of the ways Republicans have raced ahead of Democrats: billionaires exploiting changes in campaign finance law and creating whole alternate party infrastructure and investment in outlets like Breitbart News. The Times is less straightforward about the role lies have played in Republican online organizing, but let’s face it: they lie. A lot. And Facebook lets them do it.
Republicans are also just plain willing to do things Democrats would never do. Progressive donors to last year’s climate strike vetoed the idea of using a technique called geofencing to capture the cell phone numbers of people at the event. But guess what: Republicans went ahead and did it, so now they have the phone numbers of New York climate strikers and the people who support the climate strike do not.
It’s always difficult. Because is that a creepy and invasive tactic? Why, yes, it is. But will it work for Democrats to keep bringing a spork to a gun fight? Probably not.
Democrats are working to adjust both to coronavirus and to the digital deficit. Super PACs like Priorities USA and American Bridge 21st Century, and groups like NextGen America and Acronym are investing in digital and planning major ad campaigns, currently highlighting Donald Trump’s denial and incompetence around coronavirus. But Trump has Facebook keeping its thumb on the scale in his favor, Russian backing, a ton of money, and an utter disregard for honesty or decency. It’s a lot to catch up with.