They didn’t learn their lesson with Hillary — Democrats think celebrities will win them 2018 races

billy eichner glam up the vote

A number of celebrities have signed on to support Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections as the races for the Senate and House of Representatives begin to heat up.

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Funny or Die, a comedy company founded by Will Ferrell has tapped several big names for their “Glam Up the Midterms” campaign. Among those participating are James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, Sarah Silverman, Seth Meyers and Chelsea Handler. The initiative will be led by comedian Billy Eichner, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Eichner, who is known for his segment “Billy on the Street,” told THR, “I had a dream last night that several small-town Americans called me and were begging me to have more TV and film personalities lecture them about politics. So, I’m here to answer their prayers!” The actor–who you might recognize from “Parks & Recreation–said that he’s skipped plenty of midterm elections, but that he “deeply regrets that decision.”

Younger voters are historically absent at the ballot boxes during midterm elections, but Eichner and Funny or Die hope that they can change that trend. On their website, the group writes, “Only 12% of young people voted during the last midterm election. Wow. That’s super embarrassing, America.” This isn’t the first time that Funny or Die has waded into politics; in 2014, they shot a short video with Barack Obama in which the then-president pitched Obamacare to the younger demographic that the group dominates.

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Eichner announced the “Glam Up the Midterms” initiative during a Thursday appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” He told the host that the campaign has “pinpointed certain districts that are going to be hotly contested throughout the country,” and that they’re going to go to those areas and “going to be educating people there, particularly young people–when the election day is, who the candidates are, how to register to vote.” He went on to promise, “We’re going to turn the midterms into the hottest, sexiest event of the year.”

While Eichner stopped short of saying that his group will encourage young voters to pull for Democrats, that’s definitely the implied conclusion based on the celebrities that he’s enlisted. Chelsea Handler appeared to call for a military coup against Trump, Sarah Silverman derided the president as an “emotional child,” and Jimmy Kimmel publicly feuded with Trump in the heat of the health care debate. Of course, celebrities couldn’t save Hillary Clinton from defeat — the Democratic nominee enjoyed the endorsement of Kendall Jenner, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, George Clooney, Matt Damon and dozens more.

If the “Glam Up the Midterms” initiative is even mildly successful, it’s sure to change the face of the American voter. Millennials are about to overtake baby boomers as the largest voting bloc in the U.S., and if Eichner (or anybody else) can actually get them into the ballot box, that could mean big changes.

Every one of the 435 members of the House of Representatives is running for re-election in 2018, and CQ has put together a great map if you’re looking for more details about those races. Also, 34 seats in the Senate are up for grabs, and over two dozen governors will have to convince their constituents to reinstall them.

What do you think?

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