California Shells Out For Biden As Hollywood Fundraisers Go Virtual

Los Angeles, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Oct, 2020 ) :Joe Biden sharing a split-screen with George Clooney. Kamala Harris joining a online quiz with the Marvel superhero film stars.

Virtual fundraisers with Hollywood and Democratic leaders have combined with powerful anti-Donald Trump sentiment to prompt an unprecedented flood of donations in California -- the nation's wealthiest state, long seen as the party's election cash cow.

As the race for the White House reaches its blockbuster finale, both campaigns are mounting breakneck tours of swing states, and are notably absent in the liberal Golden State where Biden leads Trump by over 30 points.

But while Californians can't sway the race by voting, Democratic insiders say they have never witnessed such an extraordinary boom in fundraising and celebrity activism -- even as a deadly pandemic pushes events online.

"It's been unbelievable. My inbox is filled with emails every day from all various entertainment industry people -- the business side, the creative side, all over... music, movies, tv, everything," said Los Angeles-based Democratic strategist Bill Carrick.

"Writers, directors, actors, producers, agents -- all that world is even more intensely activated," he added.

Stars including the casts of "Seinfeld," "Happy Days" and "The West Wing" have held online reunions.

"Co-chair" tickets for a Hillary Clinton talk hosted online by Amy Schumer on Wednesday stretched to $50,000, while "young activists" could attend a virtual read of "Wet Hot American Summer" with Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and other stars of the movie from $50.

"The pandemic created the virtual fundraiser on Zoom, primarily, and those are wildly successful," said Carrick. "All those kinds of things have really exploded."Steven Maviglio, a Sacramento-based strategist, believes California Democratic fundraising Dollars are "almost double where they were four years ago" -- a high baseline, given Hillary Clinton's strong support in 2016.

California "has always been viewed as a sort of ATM," he added. "But this year, the candidates really haven't come here much to do in-person events. The money's coming to them."