President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is in the process of digital staffing, making four key hires ahead of the Super Tuesday primaries.
On Sunday, the campaign named Ryan Thompson chief mobilization officer and Kate Conway creative director. Cat Stern has been named director of digital persuasion and Clarke Humphrey has been appointed senior advisor of digital persuasion. A Biden spokesperson told Wired that Stern, the former vice president of paid media at Democratic marketing firm Authentic, will lead the digital ad program alongside Humphrey, who will also work with his network of influencers. Humphrey previously served as White House digital director for the Biden administration’s Covid-19 response team. The duo’s plan will “focus on testing ideas and doing it in more places than ever before.”
“I’m pleased to be hiring four experienced digital operators as we approach the election,” Biden deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty said in a statement to Wired. “This team not only understands how to engage voters in a more personal and online environment than ever before, they are also some of the leading designers of the cutting-edge strategies needed to win this election.”
The news comes as the Biden campaign shifts its focus to how to reach more voters online throughout the election cycle. The Biden team launched a TikTok account during the Super Bowl in January despite concerns from lawmakers that the app could be used by the Chinese government to spy on U.S. citizens. Earlier this year, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the app reached more than 170 million Americans, including many young voters who supported Biden in 2020.
“We’re in a new phase of activity, people are paying attention, and we want to make sure we’re reaching people in as many places as possible,” Flaherty told Wired of his decision to join TikTok in February.
Flaherty, who previously served as White House digital director, was named deputy campaign manager in August. Thompson previously served as chief digital officer for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where he managed a $15 million email list-building budget in 2018, ultimately raising more than $106 million. Conway also worked at DCCC, where as creative director she built their in-house creative team.
The Biden campaign has invested heavily in digital over the past four years. Since Biden’s inauguration, his team has developed relationships with dozens of social media influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok to spread the president’s message online. The government even holds briefings with creators on pressing topics such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In December, the White House hosted its first holiday party for political content creators.
Although young voters overwhelmingly supported Biden in the last presidential election, their support has been declining according to recent polls. The campaign’s continued investment in its digital efforts is critical to reengaging voters with whom Biden has fallen out of favor.