The Differentiator
Doomscroll 5.17.2026
Hello and welcome to another edition of Doomscroll - your favorite newsletter covering all things digital on the right! Let’s get to some scrolling.
First up: Don’t forget I’m partnering with Katie Harbath, Kyle Tharp, and Eric Wilson to conduct a survey of campaign professionals about how they’re using AI! It’s anonymous, will only take a few minutes, and we’re definitely going to share the results! Please and thank you!
Thanks to everyone who answered last week’s One Question about DATA. I gotta say…maybe the question was too vague, but this was not a favorite topic just judging by the responses. But that’s ok! We’re not always gonna bat a thousand. High-five though, to the person who said they were “building insane lookalike audiences.” Go you!
This week’s One Question is about fundraising. And advertising. Fundraising advertising. I feel like Republicans have mostly given up on this as a tactic - with a couple notable exceptions (more on that below). And I want to know what we can do to turn things around. Go through the Meta ad library. Every. Single. Dem. Ad. is a fundraising ad. Ok, like 90% of them are. Clearly, they’ve figured out something we haven’t. Or their donors are just different. More willing. Etc etc. So what are we missing? The right people? Or the right strategy/willingness to spend what it takes to get this right? Tell me!
The above quote comes from James Blair, the 36-year-old Republican strategist who will be running President Trump’s midterm strategy operation. Politico called his posture “overwhelming confidence” and I gotta say…I admire his optimism? Look, I wouldn’t know James Blair if I passed him on the sidewalk eating a hoagie from Taylor Gourmet, but I’m going to choose to believe this dude knows what he’s doing. He says we’re not going to be outspent? I’d love to see it. Just a thought!
—Gotta spend money to make money!
Alright ya’ll - like I said: I see VERY few, if any, fundraising ads from the right. That’s changed a little in the last couple of weeks with Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee. It’s telling that these guys are spending money on fundraising ads while others aren’t, and speaks to what it takes to be a solid fundraiser these days: You have to have a brand. These guys do.
And when I say “brand,” I don’t mean “generic conservative guy in a navy blazer standing in front of a flag.” I mean an actual brand. A recognizable voice. A point of view. A personality people instantly recognize when they scroll past it on X, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts while laying in bed at night.
The other thing I like about these ads is what they’re not: Dire. Ominous. Threatening. There’s no doomsday scenario or match promises. There’s a few folksy one-liners and some chuckles. It’s a big part about what campaigns still don’t get.
Everybody has access to roughly the same tools now. The differentiator is whether voters feel like they know you. The politicians winning online are the ones creating a feedback loop: Content → attention → familiarity → trust → donations → more content. Rinse and repeat.
Meanwhile, too many campaigns are still operating like it’s 2018: “Here’s a stock image of the Capitol. AOC is bad. Donate $15 before midnight.” It’s no wonder so many GOPers have decided online fundraising ads aren’t working. Donors are tired of the same old message. They get it: the left is wrong, but why should they give to your candidate, specifically? If you can’t answer that, get out of the game.
And before anyone says “well not every candidate can be John Kennedy or Tim Burchett” - correct. They shouldn’t be. Forced authenticity is even worse than no authenticity. But every candidate can develop a distinct identity online instead of sounding like they were assembled in a focus group. The era of faceless fundraising is dying. We have to get our candidates out there. Develop an online presence and develop a brand.
—Can’t believe it’s real…oh wait
If it’s AI-generated, is it “real”? Let’s answer that another time. But this is crazy: Crypto-backed Fellowship PAC released an ad support Kentucky Senate candidate Andy Barr that features photos and b-roll of Andy Barr…and then ends with an obvious AI-generated photo of someone who is NOT Andy Barr. Ya’ll, come on, now. What are we even doing.
—All In
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is spending a ton of political capitol to try and get his friend Derek Dooley elected to the U.S. Senate. What happens to Kemp if Dooley loses the primary? I don’t even want to think about it, tbh. Anyway, this new ad from Hardworking Americans Inc isn’t bad. Some may even find it persuasive. If you’re looking for something to help differentiate candidates in a primary and you like the sitting governor…this could very well push you in one direction over another.
—I endorse this ad
This is a really fun ad from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders that manages to weave in her family AND the affordability message. Nice.
—Sound off!
The pro-Lindsey Graham PAC Security is Strength spent a healthy $86K on Meta ads in the last week attacking Lindsey’s primary opponent, businessman Mark Lynch.
Lynch, who is challenging Graham from the right and seems to be running solely on “I’m not Lindsey Graham,” has a long, long history of saying and doing some whacky things. Team Graham is taking advantage. One ad is just a video of Lynch at what appears to be a campaign event an was probably filmed by a tracker. It includes Lynch talking about legalizing cocaine. Yes, cocaine. Another ad aligns Lynch with Trump foes MTG and Thomas Massie. Look, as someone who lives in South Carolina, I’m getting very little from Team Lynch. I’m getting a lot from Graham’s campaign and this PAC which tells me 2 things: Lynch’s political career likely isn’t going to extend beyond the June 9 primary. And also - love him or hate him, Lindsey Graham isn’t taking his re-election for granted. He’s spending money, he’s taking his challenger seriously, he’s organized, he’s on the ground, and he’s making his case. What else can an incumbent do? Like I said: Love him or hate him, the dude knows how to campaign. And so do his backers.
Welp. The people of Louisiana have spoken.
Trump alum and former Ashley Moody advisor Bea Valenti is running for Congress in Florida’s 14th District
A Club for Growth affiliate is running attack ads against Gentner Drummond - the current frontrunner in the Oklahoma GOP gubernatorial primary.
This is a crazy story: Erin Stewart - a leading Republican candidate in the gubernatorial primary in Connecticut - dropped out of the race this week because an investigation found she used a taxpayer-funded credit card for personal expenses while mayor of New Britain. I was sorta following this race…and I’m a little stunned by this? Like, do people really think they can do this sorta thing and get away with it these days?? (Don’t answer that).
Oregon poll: Could the Beaver State pick a Republican governor this year? Crazier things have happened!
🎧 Some interesting data here on Spotify streams versus YouTube views. TL:DR: Spotify audiences are more engaged
📱 A good look at what the iOS26 update actually meant for campaigners…from an industry expert
▶️ Google Ads will automatically start linking your YouTube channel this June. Yay.
📸 Meta released a Snapchat-style Instants App, allowing users to send real-time pics to friends that delete after they’re viewed. Cool.
🕵️ The NYT published a piece about the murky world of political influencers…and who pays.
Two compadres in the fundraising/digital space called out some bad actors this week!
Exhibit A: Eric Wilson, who - I’m paraphrasing - said WTF to an email from a senate campaign that asked people to commit to making phone calls…and then required a donation in order to make the commitment. I agree with Eric - WTF! Unfortunately, Eric chose to blur out the senate campaign that did this. He’s a much nicer person than I am. P.S. Is that a PSQ Impact form in the screenshot? Not that it matters.
Exhibit B: John Hall, who called out another campaign (nameless) for the weirdest, scammiest, most fraudulent text I’ve seen in a while. Ya’ll. What are we doing here. If you want to defend either, I’d LOVE to hear from you: itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com.Another one bites the dust: Sen. Tim Scott is now on TikTok. I’ll be honest, I don’t understand the point of this one, but maybe I’m just too old to get it.
Got a tip for The Grapevine? Job announcement? Job opening? Email ‘em to me at itsthedoomscroll@gmail.com
From the other side of the aisle:
“Independent” Austin Ahlman launched his bid for Congress this week against GOP incumbent Mike Flood and a lot of people were lauding his announcement video on X. I don’t know… I feel like a lot of “amazing” announcement videos these days are wannabe copies of actual ~really~ original announcement videos from cycles past. This one feels SO John Fetterman-esque to me, I don’t know how you can not see it. Does Austin have a moving personal story? Sure. Is this video better than most? Maybe. But when the candidate can’t (or just doesn’t) deliver some lines on-screen except for a few in the last 3 seconds…that’s always a huge tell in my book. Sorry not sorry?
From the other side of the tracks:
Something a little different this week… Apparently Americans are experiencing a “fun drought.” Yes, really - at least according to the totally non-biased Dave & Buster’s. Maybe there’s an opportunity though, to work in some more fun into our campaigning. Whether that’s fun, light-hearted ads and content or IRL events…just something to think about!
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