Latest news with #ASDC
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State Democrats set up digital ad business with an influential private company. Now a key Dem official is becoming its CEO.
A top Democratic organization strongly encouraged state campaigns to do much of their digital ad-buying business with a company that one of its members is set to soon join as CEO — a development that has puzzled and concerned some party insiders. At a meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas last week, the Association of State Democratic Committees — an umbrella group for state parties — voted to recommend state races use one liberal firm, TargetSmart, for a major portion of digital ad buys, which could be worth millions. TargetSmart announced on May 7 that Liz Walters, outgoing chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, is taking over as CEO this summer. Walters, who made her departure public in a post on X, said she would leave the state party role by June 30. And until the week before the group's meeting, she was part of the ASDC's leadership team as treasurer. Walters recused herself from the TargetSmart vote. But she has reportedly praised the use of TargetSmart repeatedly in recent years, went to the meeting where the resolution passed, and continues to sit on a key board of state party leaders tied to the deal. Word of the deal spread through Democratic circles this week, leaving some in the party worried about the possibility of a conflict of interest — or the perception of one — at a time when Democrats are already struggling mightily. Others are concerned that using a sole media-buying platform for many digital ads will stifle innovation and raise costs for campaigns. 'I just don't understand this at all. It's the ultimate solution in search of a problem,' said Rob Flaherty, the former deputy campaign manager for Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign. 'No one who works directly in this space is asking for this, nor should we want it. Even the stated rationale makes no sense: This is a space where competition leads to better pricing. A strategic monopoly doesn't serve us.' A Democratic campaign veteran who, like others in this story was granted anonymity to speak freely, said the deal is 'a conflict of interest you could see from space.' A Democratic state party chair said 'the perception sucks, the perception is terrible.' Walters responded in a statement that the decision to leave the Ohio Democratic Party, 'an organization I love,' was 'a hard one.' She added that 'in the interest of transparency, as soon as I decided to join TargetSmart, we made the news public and I recused myself from all matters involving the company.' Axios first wrote about the existence of a deal between the ASDC and TargetSmart, but concerns about a conflict of interest have not been reported before. ASDC president Jane Kleeb said in an interview that it was her suggestion, not Walters', to give TargetSmart the special status. Kleeb defended the decision as a way for state parties to save money and solve other problems, such as navigating a bewildering web of new digital firms. She said that Walters has praised TargetSmart internally over the years but added that 'lots of us' have also spoken highly of the company since they've worked closely with them. 'There is no conflict of interest. We have been talking about this for years,' she said. 'I knew that the vendors would have their guns and knives out for me because they will perceive it as taking business away from them. But it doesn't.' She added, 'I am trying to innovate and create reliable streams of revenue' for state parties and 'with this system, there will be a 5 percent return to state parties, which is a really wonderful thing.' Other Democrats in favor of the resolution said that the setup would also help ensure the digital safety of voter files. A second Democratic state party chair granted anonymity to speak candidly about the deal said that Walters praised TargetSmart at multiple ASDC meetings in recent months, including in Little Rock last week. 'Every single meeting she would talk about the benefit of the tool and why it's really important, and anytime people would raise questions, basically, she was answering them as CEO of TargetSmart, but that wasn't the role she was in,' said the person, who was in the meetings. 'It's an unfortunate way to enter into a relationship, because I think it could be a good tool, but now it's clouded,' the person added. TargetSmart has worked with the Democratic state parties for years to house their voter files, a precious resource used by campaigns. The ASDC said that it asked TargetSmart to develop its digital ad-buying tool in 2023, and that later it was rolled out to some trial participants, including in Ohio. State parties generate revenue when their voter file is bought and sold, as well as when their voter file data is used on TargetSmart's ad-buying platform. The ASDC's nonbinding resolution states that members are encouraged to either 'institute a requirement' for voter file users to utilize TargetSmart for digital ad-buying or 'strongly encourage' users to 'explore utilizing' the platform. A TargetSmart spokesperson said the buying platform is more cost efficient, reliable and enables transparency in ad placements. And TargetSmart senior adviser Tom Bonier said in a statement that 'we're proud to have the opportunity to continue to serve state parties as they provide this cutting-edge resource to their members.' He didn't respond to a question about when TargetSmart began discussions with Walters about the job. A person close to Walters said that she 'resigned as treasurer well before the meeting, recused herself from the process entirely and it passed unanimously.' But that has done little to tamp down criticism of Walters among some Democrats. 'Even being there is a way to exert influence, especially when it was already announced that she was going to TargetSmart,' said the Democratic campaign veteran. Walters submitted her resignation as treasurer of the ASDC on May 20, the person close to her said. The ASDC passed the resolution unanimously on May 29. Walters is also on the board of a linked 'co-op' made up of state party officials that manages its voter file data. She is expected to leave that entity and as head of the Ohio Democratic Party next week.
Politico
a day ago
- Business
- Politico
State Democrats set up digital ad business with an influential private company. Now a key Dem official is becoming its CEO.
A top Democratic organization strongly encouraged state campaigns to do much of their digital ad-buying business with a company that one of its members is set to soon join as CEO — a development that has puzzled and concerned some party insiders. At a meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas last week, the Association of State Democratic Committees — an umbrella group for state parties — voted to recommend state races use one liberal firm, TargetSmart, for a major portion of digital ad buys, which could be worth millions. TargetSmart announced on May 7 that Liz Walters, outgoing chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, is taking over as CEO this summer. Walters, who made her departure public in a post on X, said she would leave the state party role by June 30. And until the week before the group's meeting, she was part of the ASDC's leadership team as treasurer. Walters recused herself from the TargetSmart vote. But she has reportedly praised the use of TargetSmart repeatedly in recent years, went to the meeting where the resolution passed, and continues to sit on a key board of state party leaders tied to the deal. Word of the deal spread through Democratic circles this week, leaving some in the party worried about the possibility of a conflict of interest — or the perception of one — at a time when Democrats are already struggling mightily. Others are concerned that using a sole media-buying platform for many digital ads will stifle innovation and raise costs for campaigns. 'I just don't understand this at all. It's the ultimate solution in search of a problem,' said Rob Flaherty, the former deputy campaign manager for Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign. 'No one who works directly in this space is asking for this, nor should we want it. Even the stated rationale makes no sense: This is a space where competition leads to better pricing. A strategic monopoly doesn't serve us.' A Democratic campaign veteran who, like others in this story was granted anonymity to speak freely, said the deal is 'a conflict of interest you could see from space.' A Democratic state party chair said 'the perception sucks, the perception is terrible.' Walters responded in a statement that the decision to leave the Ohio Democratic Party, 'an organization I love,' was 'a hard one.' She added that 'in the interest of transparency, as soon as I decided to join TargetSmart, we made the news public and I recused myself from all matters involving the company.' Axios first wrote about the existence of a deal between the ASDC and TargetSmart, but concerns about a conflict of interest have not been reported before. ASDC president Jane Kleeb said in an interview that it was her suggestion, not Walters', to give TargetSmart the special status. Kleeb defended the decision as a way for state parties to save money and solve other problems, such as navigating a bewildering web of new digital firms. She said that Walters has praised TargetSmart internally over the years but added that 'lots of us' have also spoken highly of the company since they've worked closely with them. 'There is no conflict of interest. We have been talking about this for years,' she said. 'I knew that the vendors would have their guns and knives out for me because they will perceive it as taking business away from them. But it doesn't.' She added, 'I am trying to innovate and create reliable streams of revenue' for state parties and 'with this system, there will be a 5 percent return to state parties, which is a really wonderful thing.' Other Democrats in favor of the resolution said that the setup would also help ensure the digital safety of voter files. A second Democratic state party chair granted anonymity to speak candidly about the deal said that Walters praised TargetSmart at multiple ASDC meetings in recent months, including in Little Rock last week. 'Every single meeting she would talk about the benefit of the tool and why it's really important, and anytime people would raise questions, basically, she was answering them as CEO of TargetSmart, but that wasn't the role she was in,' said the person, who was in the meetings. 'It's an unfortunate way to enter into a relationship, because I think it could be a good tool, but now it's clouded,' the person added. TargetSmart has worked with the Democratic state parties for years to house their voter files, a precious resource used by campaigns. The ASDC said that it asked TargetSmart to develop its digital ad-buying tool in 2023, and that later it was rolled out to some trial participants, including in Ohio. State parties generate revenue when their voter file is bought and sold, as well as when their voter file data is used on TargetSmart's ad-buying platform. The ASDC's nonbinding resolution states that members are encouraged to either 'institute a requirement' for voter file users to utilize TargetSmart for digital ad-buying or 'strongly encourage' users to 'explore utilizing' the platform. A TargetSmart spokesperson said the buying platform is more cost efficient, reliable and enables transparency in ad placements. And TargetSmart senior adviser Tom Bonier said in a statement that 'we're proud to have the opportunity to continue to serve state parties as they provide this cutting-edge resource to their members.' He didn't respond to a question about when TargetSmart began discussions with Walters about the job. A person close to Walters said that she 'resigned as treasurer well before the meeting, recused herself from the process entirely and it passed unanimously.' But that has done little to tamp down criticism of Walters among some Democrats. 'Even being there is a way to exert influence, especially when it was already announced that she was going to TargetSmart,' said the Democratic campaign veteran. Walters submitted her resignation as treasurer of the ASDC on May 20, the person close to her said. The ASDC passed the resolution unanimously on May 29. Walters is also on the board of a linked 'co-op' made up of state party officials that manages its voter file data. She is expected to leave that entity and as head of the Ohio Democratic Party next week.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
News from the world of education June 5, 2025
National Automobile Olympiad 2025 The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), in collaboration with the CBSE, has launched the fourth edition of the National Automobile Olympiad (NAO) 2025. Eligibility: Open to students from Class 6 to 12 across all educational boards. Deadline: July 31 Register at Admissions and scholarships The Rhodes Trust has opened the registration window for applications to the Rhodes Scholarship for India 2026. Interested candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can apply for this fully funded, full-time postgraduate award at the University of Oxford, the U.K. For more information, visit IIT-Gandhinagar has introduced a two-year e-Masters in Data Science for Decision Making (DSDM) programme. Eligibility: Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Technology, Science, Economics, Commerce or relevant field with minimum 60% or 6.0 CPI. Maths in Class 12 is required. No GATE qualification. Visit for more information. IIT-Jammu invites applications for its in Engineering Physics programme. Admission is through JEE Advanced and JoSAA Counselling. For details, visit IIT-Mandi's Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) is hosting PRAYAS 3.0, an intensive one-month residential training programme on Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), which will begin on June 16. Eligibility: UG and PG students and diploma holders in engineering who want to gain practical skills in automation, AI, and IoT. For details, visit NIT Raipur has collaborated with Intellipaat and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to launch Executive programmes in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and in Computer Science Engineering with specialisations in Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing and Blockchain. For eligibility criteria and other details, visit and Queens School of Design (QSD), Mysuru, has launched a one-year Gen AI Integrated Design Programme to train students on application of Gen AI in Fashion and Interior Design. Eligibility: Class 10 and 12 pass from any board Deadline: June 30 Visit for more information Alliance University has launched a doctoral programme Ph.D. VISTA (Venture Innovation for Social Transformation and Advancement) for scholars across disciplines such as Business, Law, Liberal Arts, and Engineering. For details of eligibility criteria and application process, visit K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management (KJSIM), in collaboration with Jio Creative Labs (JCL), has launched a two-year, full-time MBA Marketing Communications programme beginning in September. Eligibility: Graduates in any stream with minimum 50% in their Classes 10 and 12 and UG programme. Valid score in CAT, XAT, NMAT, CMAT, or GMAT. For details, visit The University of Sheffield, the U.K., invites applications for its M.A. International Development course starting in September 2025. Scholarships are available. Eligibility: Holders of a three- or four-year Bachelor's degree with minimum 60% from a recognised university. Overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent. Details at The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, the U.K., is offering 25 Deans Excellence scholarships worth £5,000 per year of study to international students joining Undergraduate programmes in Education, English, History, International Relations, Journalism, Languages, Law, Politics, Psychology, Social Policy, Social Work, Speech and Language Therapy in September 2025. Eligibility: Self-funded, international fee-paying applicants enrolling for a full-time course. More information at The University of Birmingham Dubai invites applications for its Bachelor of Commercial Law programme beginning in September. Scholarships are available. Eligibility: Class 12 from any education board (see link for details of marks required) For more information, visit The Duolingo English Test (DET) has opened applications for the DETermined Scholarship on the portal. This scholarships offers Indian women students in STEM a one-time grant of $30,000 to cover tuition fees for a Bachelor's or Master's degree at a U.S. university that accepts the DET for admissions in the Spring '26 semester. For details, visit Events The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has officially granted foreign board equivalence to the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), a senior secondary curriculum from the Government of Western Australia. MAAC hosted a five-day training initiative on Digital Content Creation using Gen AI design tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Gemini, and Kling AI for over 500 students. The institute also organised a special webinar for its students on the world of game design, virtual environments, storytelling and beyond. Pavan Kadam, Founder and CEO, Baked Moon Studios, spoke at the event. According to the Scaler School of Technology's Internship Placement Report over 96.3% of its students have secured internship opportunities, in India and internationally, in companies such as Apple Developer Academy, Zomato, Swiggy, 1MG, Freecharge, and so on. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts hosted a commencement programme for its Leela Leadership Development Programme (LLDP) for the Class of 2026. The programme, which was developed in collaboration with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) and Les Roches, received over 1,400 applications from which 36 were chosen. ETS has announced a series of measures to to make TOEFL iBT more adaptive, accessible, and aligned with learner needs. This includes adaptive testing for reading and listening, faster score delivery, dual score reporting, enhanced at-home testing, upgraded test centre equipment, expanded preparation resources and simplified registrations. Motion Education has launched NEET PYQ solution books for students preparing for NEET exam that allow students to instantly access question text and its corresponding video solution by scanning a QR code. Students from SRM Institute of Hotel Management prepared 2025 plant-powered multigrain kathi rolls in record time as part of an event to launch the introduction of a plant-based menu in SRM's hostels. This is part of the institute's partnership with the Green Tuesday Initiative. Aditya School of Business Management (ASBM), Mumbai, achieved 100% summer internship placement for its PGDM Batch 2024–2026, placing every eligible student with top-tier companies such as ICICI Bank, CEAT Tyres, Bajaj Finserv, Vijay Sales, and Anchor Panasonic, among others. Researchers from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela have developed a reusable photocatalyst system capable of cleaning industrial wastewater using natural sunlight. A paper, authored by Prof. Subhankar Paul along with research scholars Sohel Das and Uma Sankar Mondal, was published in the Journal of Water Processing Engineering. The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, hosted its 24th convocation for 74 graduates across academic programmes. The chief guest was Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Member-NITI Aayog, Former Secretary-DRDO. Aaera Consultants hosted an interactive free counselling session on overseas education for over 150 students with one-on-one counselling sessions and information on applications, university choice, scholarships, and visa applications. The Faculty of Business and Commerce, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh hosted a panel discussion focused on India's transformation through education and its goal to become a $7 trillion economy by 2030. Speakers included Ambrish Kumar Srivastava, Senior Consultant, TCS, and Anurag Pandey, Chairman, Lucknow branch of ICAI. The university also announced that it has incorporate AI into its academic programmes to inspire, challenge, and empowers students across diverse fields. Galgotias University hosted the second edition of Parisamvad, a flagship human capital symposium that brought together HR leaders, business strategists, and industry experts. Jaipuria School of Business (JSB), Ghaziabad, hosted its 14th Convocation Ceremony for 135 students from the PGDM batch of 2023–2025. The Chief Guest Ms. Preeti Bajaj, Managing Director & CEO of Luminous Power Technologies. BITS Law School has launched a Centre for Research on Innovation Law for Shared Prosperity (CRISP), which will be a hub for research exploring the legal dimensions of technology and innovation, especially wireless and ICT technologies. It will also host its first conference of the Innovation Law and Policy Fellowship at the BITS Pilani Mumbai Campus. The Bower School of Entrepreneurship hosted the inaugural edition of Founders' Arena, a flagship startup pitch competition in Hyderabad, which showcased 150+ innovative pitches across EdTech, FinTech, sustainability, and social innovation from budding entrepreneurs of all ages. The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, the U.K., has launched Reaching Beyond, a new five-year strategic plan to help entrepreneurial students and staff make an impact far beyond its campus. PNB Housing Finance, through its CSR arm Pehel Foundation, awarded scholarships to 186 students of Miranda House, to enable them complete their undergraduate studies across diverse streams. Mahindra University has appointed academician, legal educator, and researcher Jayaram Raghunath as the new Dean of its School of Law. Earlier, he served as Dean at GD Goenka University and Manipal University Jaipur. Noida International University hosted the Education Leaders Summit and Felicitation Ceremony for over 200 guests and 350 students. The focus was on the evolving role of educational institutions in shaping future-ready youth for the country. The National Finance Olympiad (NFO) released its 2024 report on financial literacy among Indian students. A key highlight was that teenagers struggle to understand basic economic principles and financial concepts and perform poorly in areas like investment, risk and return, and tax planning. Panasonic Life Solutions India held the culmination of Harit Umang Olympiad 2025 and felicitated over 2300 Green Ambassadors among schools and colleges. Shreyas M.S., Vanukuri Prasant Reddy, Vivek Kumar, and Yamini Rathore , final-year Computer Science and Engineering students from CMR University, have developed an AI-based real-time system that detects and monitors defective vehicle number plates, under the mentorship of Manjunath C.R., Professor and Head, Department of CSE (AI and ML). Target Learning Ventures hosted a career guidance workshop in collaboration with Vidyarthi Prerna Kendra (VPK) for students from rural areas of Maharashtra. The speaker was counsellor Chandrakant Mundhe. UpGrad concluded its first global graduation ceremony in partnership with the Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and Liverpool Business School (LBS), the U.K. for 2483 learners. Sharda University and Indian Culture Global Centre, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS) hosted a two-day international conference on Decolonising Colonial Infrastructure: A Path to Indigenous Revival. Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, was the chief guest. Cambridge Schools hosted InspirEd, its annual teacher training and capacity-building programme by connecting education with action. Speakers included educationist Rohit Dhankar. IIT-Mandi hosted a four-day Mind, Brain, and Consciousness Conference (MBCC 2025) organised by the Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications (IKSMHA) Centre. The institute also signed an MoU with the Art of Living Foundation to collaborate in consciousness and mental well-being research. Recognition The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, the U.K., was named University of the Year 2025 – Scotland in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs). It also secured seventh place overall in the UK. Yash Vardhan Raj (second year Microbiology) and Priyanshu Yadav (third year Computer Science and Engineering) from Galgotias University have been selected to participate in the ASEAN Summer Programme at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, under the Entrepreneurship and Innovation track. Prodigy Finance has announced eight winners of its Fall 2025 Scholarships. Of these, Dhruv Dharamshi from India will receive $5000 to do an MBA from London Business School, the U.K. Team ClusterBlusters - Anaswara Suresh M.K., Adithya N.S., Avi Nair, C.S. Amritha, and R. Sruthi - from the Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's Coimbatore campus won the grand prize at the Guidewire DEVTrails University Hackathon 2025 for their project KubeBoom. Indian School of Business (ISB) was ranked No.1 in Asia and No.23 in globally The Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Custom Ranking 2025. Intrusion, a feature film directed by Swapnil Sarode, a final-year student from the School of Film Arts, MGM University, was officially selected for the International Silver Screen Award. Partnerships NSE Academy Limited (NAL), a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd., has partnered with the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the U.S., to jointly offer certifications and training programmes for accounting professionals and aspirants. Medhavi Skills University (MSU) has signed an MoU with the All India Rail Safety Council (AIRSC) to establish a 24x7 Global Centre of Excellence in Rail Safety, Technology, and Management, which will offer UG and PG programmes through online, blended, and traditional formats, supported by a digital learning portal and delivered via MSU campuses and partner institutions. Shoolini University's Centre for Distance and Online Education (SCDOE) has officially partnered with Common Service Centers (CSCs) to deliver higher education to students in rural and remote parts of India. This collaboration aims to leverage CSCs' widespread network and expertise to expand educational opportunities, promote digital literacy, and support skill development for underserved communities across the country. UPES' School of Computer Science (SoCS) launched a skilling initiative in collaboration with Salesforce to deliver future-ready Salesforce-certified courses, encourage deeper faculty-industry engagement and act as a high-impact talent pipeline. XLRI-Jamshedpur and the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) have signed an MoU to advance quality management education, research and industry-academia collaboration across India. IIM-Nagpur and Epiroc India signed an MoU to advance executive education and leadership development while fostering long-term industry-academia collaboration. Poonawalla Fincorp has partnered with IDP Education to bridge the financial gap in overseas education and enable students avail fully digital education loans.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Scoop: Democrats select single media buying platform for all state races
The group responsible for overseeing Democratic Party state efforts is strongly encouraging all its state campaigns to use a single digital ad tech platform called TargetSmart. Why it matters: The move aims to help Democrats streamline their ad buys and save money, but some critics say the one-vendor mandate is anticompetitive and limits innovation. "It's questionable when a party organization endorses a specific media platform without evaluating the leading technology providers in the space," said Grace Briscoe, EVP of client development at Basis, a large ad tech firm that manages campaigns across the political spectrum. "In the high-stakes world of government and politics, it's imperative to pressure test the technology. I believe political marketers will continue to conduct their own due diligence to find the best tools for their needs." Zoom in: After a meeting last week in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) passed a resolution to allow TargetSmart to become what it says is "the first and only Media Buying Platform built for the Democratic Party," according to a copy of the resolution obtained by Axios. TargetSmart has been one of the leading voter data sources for Democratic political parties and progressive organizations since it launched in 2006. The company provides services to the Democratic National Committee to enhance their voter file. TargetSmart also operates a demand-side platform (DSP) that allows its to buy and place digital ads on behalf of customers in a programmatic, or automated, fashion. Its ad-buying platform sits on top of its proprietary voter file. The firm is still privately owned by its cofounders, Drew Brighton and Jeff Ferguson. Between the lines: The ASDC argues that campaigns should use TargetSmart's tech for its digital ad buys because it's more transparent and efficient. TargetSmart, which it refers to as the "Democratic Party Media Buying Platform," has voter file data that is "sourced by Members of the Association," the resolution reads. It "supports significant data royalty payments to the Voter File Coop and its Members." ASDC President Jane Kleeb told Axios that the party "built the 'Democratic Media Buying Platform' from the ground up to put State Parties, candidates, and campaigns in control of how their ad dollars are spent." She argues the platform is "the most efficient way for campaigns to spend their hard-earned dollars, using the best data to contact voters and empowering candidates with the tools they need to win." How it works: The resolution, which was unanimously endorsed by all state parties within the ASDC, encourages member to institute a requirement that all state campaigns use the "'Democratic Party Media Buying Platform' through a digital agency that utilizes the platform." It asks that campaigns "limit any and all exports of State Party Voter File data for digital onboarding purposes to only be accessed via secure API connection to the Democratic Party Media Buying Platform." What they're saying:"For two decades our team has provided Democratic candidates with the right tools to reach the voters they need to win," said Tom Bonier, senior adviser to TargetSmart and formerly its CEO. "For that reason, we were excited to have been chosen to build the Democratic Party Media Buying Platform, facilitating targeted communication with the voters Democrats will need to regain majorities and the White House." The other side: The move is being met with skepticism by some within the party and the ad tech community, who argue selecting one platform weakens the party's ability to stay competitive against the GOP. ASDC argues TargetSmart "removes fees and unnecessary barriers while leveraging the most up-to-date voter file data available." But campaign advertising executives Axios spoke with say there are smarter ways to manage expensive vendors, like creating a panel of approved firms that campaigns can choose from. "You don't see the Republicans mandating one janky tech for their campaigns — they want to leverage the best of the tech industry," one political ad tech veteran told Axios. The big picture: The Democrats have a history of selecting one vendor to streamline tech initiatives for down-ballot races — but with an industry as large as advertising, giving one vendor control is notable. For years the party has relied nearly exclusively on NGP VAN, a privately-owned campaign software tool, for field and digital organizing. Both the Democrats and Republicans rely primarily on a single small-dollar donation platform for the bulk of their elections. Democrats use ActBlue, and Republicans use WinRed.
Epoch Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
DNC to Contribute $1 Million to State Parties Every Month
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) will provide $1 million every month over the next four years to state parties across the country as part of its 'organize everywhere, win anywhere' strategy. DNC Chair Ken Martin said on Thursday this is 'the DNC's largest investment in our state parties in our history,' in a video Martin said it's part of the Democrats' new four-year 'All of this means more investments in staff, better data and tech, stronger organizing programs, and more so we can compete and win in Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania this fall and races across the country in the months and years to come,' the DNC chair said. The monthly one-million dollars will be transferred from the DNC to state parties under the new State Partnership Program (SPP) agreement. Each state party will receive a baseline of $17,500 a month. That marks a $5,000 per month increase from the last agreement for blue and purple states. Related Stories 4/22/2025 4/21/2025 Martin said that the DNC will invest more in red states. Republican-controlled states will receive an additional investment of $5,000 a month through the DNC's Red State Fund, putting their total at $22,500 every month. The strategy is a 'game changer,' according to former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. 'We are about to witness the true magic and progress that can be made by an unencumbered DNC,' Harrison The DNC said it will also make significant investments in the technology used by the Democratic Party, which includes improving the national voter file and giving state parties best-in-class tools to leverage the data. The latest effort is a Jane Kleeb, ASDC president, said that the additional funds will build up party infrastructure and boost Democrat candidates in competitive races. 'State parties are the backbone of the Democratic Party, and through this investment, our state parties will receive the support they need to show voters that, no matter where they live, there is a strong Democratic Party in their corner, protecting their rights and economic opportunity,' Kleeb said in a statement. The DNC's new agreement also includes hosting six regional training 'bootcamps' for state parties per two-year cycle and the hiring of more ASDC staff. Meanwhile, Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, said that Democrats' big investment in races doesn't necessarily translate into winning those contests. Whatley noted that Democrats poured more money into the April 1 special election for Florida's 6th congressional seat, but they failed to flip the district blue. According to the Federal Election Commission, the winner, Republican Randy Fine, This 'shows yet again that voters support President Trump and want members of Congress who will back his agenda,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat,
