FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 8, 2022

Contact: press@agendapac.org

 

Leading Up to Election Night, Agenda PAC Delivered; Held Bigots Accountable

Agenda PAC Reached Hundreds of Thousands of Voters in Key, Competitive Races in Pennsylvania and California’s 41st District 

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) — Today, just over two months after Agenda PAC launched with a mission of aggressively and strategically attacking anti-LGBTQ+ politicians, the organization proudly announced it had delivered on its promises for 2022. In the 2022 election cycle, the organization spent nearly $150,000 on paid communications in the Pennsylvania Governor and Senate races as well as the competitive US House District CA-41. This included reaching voters via connected TV, YouTube, social media including Facebook and Snapchat, billboards, and even the popular gay dating app Grindr.

“Agenda PAC started because our basic freedoms are under attack and knew we needed to fight back. That’s exactly what we did,” said Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Chair of Agenda PAC. “The stakes were too high to sit this election out. Agenda PAC was a force to be reckoned with leading up to the Midterms and made a difference in key races. From reproductive freedoms to LGBTQ+ rights to extremism — so much is on the ballot this year, and will be into the future. We’ve just started beating the beatable bigots and we aren’t slowing down."

“We’re proud of what we accomplished in just over two months,” said Ted Bordelon, Agenda PAC Executive Director. “With so much on the line including the future of LGBTQ+ rights, delivering in this election is a beacon of hope for our ability to build a sustainable movement in future election cycles.”

Just two months after launching on September 1, Agenda PAC’s programming included:

  • $100,000 GOTV Digital Buy in PA: In October, Agenda PAC launched  a six-figure digital ad campaign to highlight the urgency and importance of this election for equality, choice and the fate of democracy itself. The spot, “Siren,” slammed Republican candidates for Governor and Senate in Pennsylvania, Doug Mastriano and Mehmet Oz, for promoting a fascist, anti-truth agenda, while urging voters to protect their hard-fought liberties by voting for Democrats including Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman.   The ad buy reached a universe of 150,000 Pennsylvania voters who have high equality and post-Dobbs/pro-choice interest scores – but who also needed to hear more messaging to get them off the sidelines and into the voting booth. Targeted voters – including younger voters – in Philadelphia’s Collar Counties in this universe received a higher rotation of ads.  The $100,000 buy ran on digital platforms including Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. 

  • $25,000 Digital Persuasion Buy in CA-41: In the last week leading up to Election Day, Agenda PAC, Equality California & LGBTQ Victory Fund teamed up for five-figure digital buy slamming Rep. Ken Calvert for his track record as one of the most corrupt members of Congress.  The five-figure buy will ran digital platforms including connected TV, YouTube and more. The spot, “Closet,” slams Calvert for his corruption – but is also a nod to how the incumbent got his start in Congress. In 1994, freshman Rep. Ken Calvert sent mailers and campaigned on then-opponent Mark Takano’s “secret agenda” – and ultimately outed the now-Congressman.

  • Five-Figure Anti-Mastriano Digital Buy: Agenda PAC hit Doug Mastriano with targeted digital ads in September, holding Mastriano accountable for his backwards views on LGBTQ+ issues, choice, the insurrection and even his decision to wear a Confederate uniform. The spot targeted 140,000 key voters in the Collar Counties of Philadelphia, and racked up more than 100,00 views on Twitter. 

  • Palm Springs Billboard Targeting Calvert: In September, Agenda PAC put up a billboard reminding travelers on the road into Palm Springs on I-10 that Rep. Ken Calvert is wanted to ban gay marriage. The Advocate covered the billboard in some of its election coverage. 

  • PA Grindr Ads:  Agenda PAC did 2 runs of digital ads targeting LGBTQ+ voters across the state of Pennsylvania on the popular dating app Grindr. The ads hit the inbox of every person with the app on their mobile device geofenced in Pennsylvania ahead of the state’s October 24th voter registration deadline and again on Election Day to get out the vote. An estimated 30,000 people across the state received the ad. 

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Agenda PAC is a new political action committee that aims to create and execute aggressive paid communications plans that hold anti-LGBTQ+ politicians and elected officials accountable, as well as defend vulnerable elected officials who are advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. With the repeal of Roe v. Wade and the Justice Thomas concurrence, and a historic number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced at all levels of government, we exist to take the fight directly to those trying to roll back our basic freedoms.