As California decides whether to slap billionaires with a special tax, the Golden State’s swarm of social media stars is chiming in — and increasingly getting paid to influence voters. Unlikely influencers, from foodies to mothers to retirees, are giving their two cents on Proposition 40, a one-time 5% tax on the assets of the state’s roughly 200 billionaires, to primarily fund healthcare. They’re also weighing in on other ballot measures created to cancel it.
Campaigns try to team up with and sometimes compensate key content creators, as their endorsement can often hit harder than traditional political ads. Between cheery Instagram videos about budget-friendly trips to a playground, Halloween house and zoo with her kids, Bartley Chavez posted a video opposing Proposition 40 to her more than 47,500 followers. A quirky movie with the kids.
But when we’re talking about California jobs, our family’s financial future, and the state’s economy, that’s not something I want to experiment with,” she says in the October video. The video’s caption states the campaign opposing Proposition 40 paid her to post. Getting political online does come with risks.
In the video’s comments, one Instagram user said they unfollowed Chavez’s account, and another called her a “sell out.” Others backed her position. Chavez didn’t respond to a request for comment. Los Angeles author and political influencer Leigh McGowan has built an audience of more than 3.5 million followers on different platforms with her no-nonsense takes on politics and other issues.
She was already a supporter of the wealth tax when the Proposition 40 campaign started to pay for some of her posts. They are doing just fine,” she said in a recent sponsored video on Instagram. Many people distrust traditional media and want regular people to break down complex topics.
The majority of that spending is expected to be in broadcast, cable and connected TV. Roughly $114 million statewide is expected to go to digital platforms such as Facebook, Google, Snapchat and X. The campaign opposing Proposition 40 has plenty of money to spend on political messaging in what’s become one of the most expensive ballot fights in California’s history.
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