It’s no secret that one side of the political spectrum has mastered the art of funding creators, and it shows. The right, feeling like perpetual underdogs battling what they’ve called a liberal media bias, has spent years building a media ecosystem that dwarfs anything on the left. The Trending Up conference is part of the Left’s attempt to fight back.
Conservative creators have access to millions from billionaire sugar daddies like the Kochs, Mercers, Thiels, Murdochs, and Uihleins (and some of them even maybe got millions from Russia!) Meanwhile, progressive creators are left to scrape by on paid subscribers, sparse brand deals, and small donations.
Many of the biggest names in progressive media seem glamorous on their social media grid. However, behind the scenes, they are juggling full-time jobs or freelance work just to keep the lights on, while their right-wing counterparts have production budgets, fancy studios, and full-time salaries. The widening political creator wage gap is precisely what Trending Up, a progressive creator conference in Washington, D.C., is trying to resolve.
From Leaders To Creators, Trending Up Was a Who’s Who of the Left
Now in its second year, the event has attracted big names like Harry Sisson, Carlos Espina, Elizabeth Booker, and the Meidas Touch crew. Democratic heavyweights were also in the mix: Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, spoke about using music and wrestling to connect with voters.
Senator Elizabeth Warren emphasized the unique power of creators in the fight against authoritarianism. Hakeem Jeffries, sporting sneakers, recounted how quoting Notorious B.I.G. helped him connect with otherwise disengaged voters.
However, the most compelling insights about the creator economy came from Pete Buttigieg, who praised political creators and gave a shout-out to unexpected voices like Ms. Rachel.
“I don’t know how much she makes per episode, but she deserves everything,” he said of the beloved children’s content creator. Buttigieg admitted he’s watching less TV these days and consuming more online content, a nod to the growing influence of digital creators. “What we build next has to be different from what we inherited,” he said. “You are at the very heart of that— that’s why I’m here today.”
Pete Buttigieg Thinks Leftist Creators Should Go Where People Are
But despite progressive politicians embracing the internet more than other politicians, there’s a tension between persuasion and platforming. Buttigieg defended his strategy of meeting people where they are, like his recent appearance on the manosphere-leaning podcast Flagrant.
While some criticized him for platforming right-wing voices, Buttigieg defended his approach. He said he draws the line at Tucker Carlson but believes in going where the people are.
“Whether it’s going on Fox or going on Flagrant, how can I blame somebody for not embracing the message that I believe in if they haven’t heard it?” he said. “We’ve gotta be cross-cutting these platforms [or else] no one is persuading anybody.”
That strategy sharply contrasts with fellow Democrats like Gavin Newsom, whose podcast recently invited far-right figures like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon to find ‘middle ground.’
Buttigieg recognizes that the tables have turned since the Obama hope and change era, when people thought progressives had the advantage on the internet and new media. “Democrats used to think that they were the ones who were digitally savvy,” he said.
He also added that the platforms perceived in the past as left-leaning have evolved to favor the right. “The algorithm is not neutral,” he said.
Platforms Are Increasingly Favoring The Right
The reality is that it’s not just that there’s more money being invested in right-wing creators. Platforms like Facebook and TikTok have become more friendly to those creators. The disparity in financial backing for right and left-wing creators is exacerbated by the digital platforms that shape public discourse.
A recent study revealed that TikTok’s algorithm favored Republican content during the 2024 presidential race. Conservative accounts received 11.8% more recommendations than the Democratic ones. Many believed this played a role in influencing young voters, particularly Gen Z men. Progressive politicians are desperate to reach them, explaining the presence of many prominent democratic voices at the Trending Up conference.
The conference also offered workshops on leveraging AI to streamline workflow and negotiating better deals. It’s important to understand being brand-friendly without diluting your political message. There was even a legal clinic with free advice on contracts and sponsorship deals. These clinics are a lifeline for creators who are often navigating deals alone. .
The Right Is Taking Notice
Trending Up assembled a powerful group of progressives aiming to change the balance of power on the internet. Perhaps that’s why a conservative operative allegedly infiltrated it.
Creator Suzanne Lambert claimed that during the second night of the conference, he offered free drinks in exchange for revealing information about the contents of the conference, all while using a fake name. While the conference was closed even to journalists, some were eager to know what was happening behind closed doors.
However, the alleged conservative mole incident underscores a deeper issue: the desperation among some conservatives to keep tabs on what progressives are building. Lambert’s encounter with the alleged operative is a telling sign that the right knows the power of what’s being cultivated at events like Trending Up and beyond.
It reminded me of our inaugural Hotties For Harris party at the DNC (for which I was a co-founder), where I had to field a few conservative spies who finagled their way into the party to tear it down. The Daily Mail did a spectacularly poorly executed hate piece trying to paint our party as overly sexualized, yet simultaneously boring.
If what Lambert claims is true, it fits with my experience of throwing these events for progressive creators. Of course, the left tries to do this too. Just last week, Dean Withers and a few other influencers tried to ambush Charlie Kirk at one of his events.
Ultimately, the right cares because it knows that if progressive creators can finally secure sustainable funding, the narrative monopoly that they’re enjoying may start to erode.
Trending Up Is Just The Start
For now, the digital battlefield remains lopsided. I left the conference armed with new tools, valuable contacts, and internet friends that now feel like real friends.
I’m happy it exists, but we need more of these gatherings and more direct funding because no matter how many cool conferences we attend, we’re still hustling in a scarcity economy, trying to fight disinformation and a low-key coup while juggling multiple gigs just to keep the lights on.
Until progressive donors–who skew older and less online– decide to fund digital creators with the same urgency and firepower as the right, they’ll keep losing elections, the algorithm, and maybe democracy too. A lot is riding on progressive creators. Democrats are banking on them to save the day, but who will save them?
