For weeks, it seemed like Donald Trump was dominating the tech trend in the election, as some Silicon Valley giants came out in support of the former president. That all seems to be changing now that Kamala Harris has joined the race following Biden’s dropout. According to a recent report, executives from Google, Netflix, and OpenAI are organizing a fundraiser for Harris in Washington, DC, later this month.
Tech Elites to Host Fundraiser for Kamala Harris
Business Insider reports that a major event is planned for August 27th, just as campaigns for the U.S. elections are heating up before the ultimate November showdown. Members of the organizing committee are said to include policy leaders from Google, Netflix, and OpenAI; this will be added to with the inclusion of senior representatives from JPMorgan, McKinsey & Company, and the Omidyar Network—a foundation started by eBay’s Pierre Omidyar.
This major tech sector support could strategically counter some of the more significant endorsements Republican candidate Donald Trump received from major tech figures such as Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, the Winklevoss twins, and John Paulson. Not to forget that Trump’s choice for VP in Ohio Senator JD Vance, formerly a venture capitalist and close to the tech and crypto industries, may have more say in Silicon Valley than previously thought.
Has Kamala Harris Finally Been Able to Warm Up Tech Giants in Her Favor?
With favoritism allegations rising around Google, with rigging of search results regarding Donald Trump, to the #cancelNetflix trend that came after Netflix’s $7 million contribution to a super PAC supporting Harris, it seems the Vice President’s political campaign has finally started making noise in Silicon Valley.
How Did It Start?
First, one of the founders of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman, came out in support of Kamala Harris on the very day Joe Biden dropped out. Until then, top Democratic donors had been slow to commit to a second term for Biden as he continued to raise concerns about his public gaffes and questions surrounding his cognitive health. That changed with Harris’s entrance into the race.
After that, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings openly endorsed Harris and gave $7 million to her campaign after the endorsement by former President Barack Obama. On the same day, a new website called “VCs for Kamala” appeared, touting over a hundred venture capitalists who said they would vote for her and help her fundraise, according to Business Insider.
It also reported that the August fundraiser will feature Josh Hsu, who previously was Harris’ top lawyer in the White House, and Rohini Kosoglu, who was a domestic policy adviser to the vice president.
This fundraiser comes at a pivotal moment for Harris, who has just secured the Democratic nomination following Joe Biden’s withdrawal. With only three months remaining until the presidential election, this support could be crucial. However, an official confirmation from the tech executives is still pending.