White Dudes for Harris, inspired by the success of other volunteer-led calls for Kamala Harris—such as those organized by Black men and women—aimed to redefine the role white men can play in our democratic process by using the power of the internet to build a movement that engaged and backed her candidacy. Partnering with celebrities like Jeff Bridges and Sean Astin, public officials like Governor Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and influencers like Professor Scott Galloway, the initiative sought to create a permission structure for white men to vote for Kamala Harris.
A key focus was addressing the long-standing gap in how Democrats have communicated with men over the last several decades. This failure to engage has allowed figures like Donald Trump and the MAGA movement to win over many men, despite their discomfort with MAGA’s divisive politics. The campaign leveraged social media, virtual meetings, press relations, and digital organizing to engage white men in this election empowering them to support a more inclusive future.
At its core, the project facilitated candid discussions about the real issues white men are facing—loneliness, lack of economic opportunity, depression, and suicidal ideation—creating a space to explore how these struggles intersect with social and political change. By addressing both the lack of engagement from Democrats and the mental health challenges men face, White Dudes for Harris worked to reshape white men's political involvement, providing an empathetic, inclusive alternative to the toxic narratives of the MAGA movement.
Our strategy was to break through the noise of traditional political outreach and engage a demographic that has historically been overlooked by Democrats—white men. In a political landscape where over 60% of white men voted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020, we aimed to create a space where they could support Kamala Harris’s candidacy in a fresh and meaningful way. By partnering with celebrities, public officials, and influencers, we raised over $4 million for the Harris campaign, with 190,000 attendees during the live call and an additional 350,000 viewers via livestream in the days that followed. Leveraging platforms like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, our all-volunteer team went viral, using memes and pop culture references from Office Space, Breaking Bad, The Bear, and creating original meme templates to bring joy and humor to a difficult conversation.
The event provided a platform for conversations about masculinity, loneliness, depression, and the challenges men face—issues often overlooked. Celebrities like Jeff Bridges and Sean Astin actively participated, using their own platforms to elevate the discussion. Public figures like Governor Tim Walz spoke passionately about how white men benefit from supporting the rights of others, including women’s reproductive rights.
We also coordinated a robust PR strategy that earned us coverage on every major TV network and in top publications like The New York Times. This comprehensive media push helped amplify our message beyond the call, ensuring that our efforts reached a broader audience. By combining humor, empathy, and strategic digital outreach, "White Dudes for Harris" reshaped the way white men were involved in the 2024 election, proving that with the right messaging, we could create a more inclusive and supportive political environment.
MASSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA NUMBERS
"White Dudes for Harris" exceeded all expectations, dominating in organic social media and earned media. It became the highest-performing social media campaign of any affinity group supporting Kamala Harris, even surpassing some of the most popular efforts like Swifties for Kamala.
The social media numbers were staggering:
A sentiment analysis conducted by our agency concluded that the response was overwhelmingly positive, creating a significant shift in the conversation around men in the election.
EARNED MEDIA
One estimate of the earned media value of the White Dudes for Harris campaign executed by the all-volunteer organizers determined the value to be well over the $5,000,000 mark, given the time it was allotted in significant publications including every major TV network (Fox News, MSNBC, CNN) and major newspapers like the New York Times.
Article Examples:
White Dudes for Harris was also featured positively on late night TV shows including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
