"It’s reached the point where I spend more time engaging with undesirable, messy, uncreative, and soul-draining texts from Democratic strangers running for office than I do texts from friends and colleagues whom I actually know and like." charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/democrats-... - ThreadSky

charlotteclymer.bsky.social • 4 days ago

"It’s reached the point where I spend more time engaging with undesirable, messy, uncreative, and soul-draining texts from Democratic strangers running for office than I do texts from friends and colleagues whom I actually know and like."

https://charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/democrats-i-dont-know-keep-texting

Comments

digitalramble.bsky.social•4 days ago

had to do a deep dive and block anything remotely political from email and texts. it’s infuriating. do big fundraisers or something. don’t peck us to death with 100 texts 😖

mklinger421.bsky.social•3 days ago

Apps like Robokiller are great for filtering out messages like this. But these apps wouldn’t be as necessary if Dems stopped spamming us.

totoole.bsky.social•3 days ago

me too, and because of my job i don't mute my phone at night and have been getting these very early in the morning sometimes.

cajegirl.bsky.social•2 days ago

I hear you.

bridgetlewison.bsky.social•4 days ago

DNC never shared any of its massive war chest with the dynamic, qualified candidate we had run for LD30 against Rep. Gosar in Arizona. He said DNC told him he'd be getting some money, and he never got a cent.

lkc2025.bsky.social•3 days ago

DNC failed to support the challenger to Nicole Malliotakis in NY-11 too.

mjwise425.bsky.social•3 days ago

STOP, Stop2End, and "Delete and Report Junk" are as good as it gets. A feedback mechanism that throttled the SMS sender would be wonderful, but ... don't expect the LawMakers to obey their own laws.

arletajames.bsky.social•3 days ago

Amen!

aprimo224.bsky.social•3 days ago

I changed my texting app to Google Messages a few weeks ago. I switched back to the Samsung app after too many friends reported not receiving my texts in a timely fashion. When I switched back, I realized that Google Messages had actually hidden a ton of Dem fundraising texts. Shame it didn't work.

kelly79557.bsky.social•4 days ago

Me too.

mrmike1962.bsky.social•4 days ago

These texts might not be coming from actual Dem organizations or supporters. Reps have no shame in running digital false flag ops to piss ppl off. I simply ignore the texts. Try that next time.

lawgirl07.bsky.social•4 days ago

I just read this in my email. Thank you for writing it. My husband and I have absolutely had it with all of the texts. We each block several numbers a day. I continue to opt out, but it never ends. I don’t even read them anymore. Just reply stop and delete. Absolutely infuriating.

selenawrites.bsky.social•3 days ago

I block & report as junk.

txnurse.bsky.social•3 days ago

Well, it's making me less likely to donate to any campaign. I don't want to start the cycle over again.

jdushoff.bsky.social•3 days ago

I agree and sympathize.

For now, get a new number, and don't give it out to anyone you don't know. It's probably easier than you probably think.

missmollykins.bsky.social•3 days ago

Me too!

iamcjohnson.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes! It’s so annoying. I got the same one you wrote about and had exactly the same reaction. 🤬

vtmoderate.bsky.social•4 days ago

I know! I don’t want to report them as spam but I am close to it. I know it costs them nothing and the text will result in some money but it’s getting too much.

joopsiegrl.bsky.social•4 days ago

🎯🎯

vheart2.bsky.social•4 days ago

Some are proven in Congress. Those I give some thought to + others I can check out.Some of the texts I get are unknown which accuse me of voting for DT,of not being a Democrat & have names or pac names in emails I do not recognize—- those go in the trash. Choose wisely. Stay safe & well.

insideoutboy84.bsky.social•3 days ago

Whenever I get a spam text these days, I post the text to the same podcast ad read from the @shutdownfullcast.bsky.social. "You can find top tier vintage styled collegiate apparel at https://www.homefieldapparel.com when you use offer code FULLCAST at checkout". Then I block them and mark it as spam.

elanamich70.bsky.social•3 days ago

They have managed to make sure I don’t donate to anyone. Stop the texts!!!

mraulston.bsky.social•3 days ago

I hit BLOCK on every one of them. It's both annoying and galling.

conservationgurl.bsky.social•3 days ago

Today I got a message from ‘Deb Holland’ asking me for money and the chance to get her posole recipe. I love me some Deb Holland, but this is… not the message for the moment #DNC

canerdiangirl.bsky.social•3 days ago

What’s crazy is that they can actually find us when they want money but not when they want our votes. Because having phone banked the last two elections, I can tell you that the Dems have no idea where, like, 80% of their voters are. Those lists they provide are horrendously ineffective.

canerdiangirl.bsky.social•3 days ago

My partner has been a generous donor to Dem campaigns. Recently diagnosed with MCI, the barrage of texts confuses and distracts him from important communiques from medical providers. I log onto his phone every few days & attempt to stop and or block the messages, but it’s completely out of hand.

phil-stone.bsky.social•4 days ago

I got that same message on Friday, but he Had texted the previous days. At least he is in my state.
In the last 3 days, I have gotten at least 4 texts from House candidates who didn't even bother to say for which district they are running.
My email is overflowing.

catecumen.bsky.social•3 days ago

Thank you for speaking out about this constant barrage of fundraising texts. It is so counter-productive and it creates a feeling of resentment toward the Democratic party as a whole.

pmcintx.bsky.social•4 days ago

Other pet peeve: when you reply STOP to a fundraising text, throwing the Hail Mary that they're legitimate, you're not replying to a hacker and they'll actually stop it, and they say "oh OK you won't get any more texts from this number." Yo, I meant the CAMPAIGN. THAT'S some bs.

pmcintx.bsky.social•4 days ago

💯. It's out of control. It's irritating those whose 💵 they want. Where are they getting the number? ActBlue claims they don't sell it. 🤔 They also give no way to say "do not share my number." Deleting your ActBlue account means you can never set another one up with that same email.

phil-stone.bsky.social•4 days ago

I noticed that once I contributed to a Democrat running against Lauren Boebert, I eventually started getting texts & emails from every congressional candidate in (not my) the state.

reddtrain.bsky.social•3 days ago

I'm sure they don't sell it.

They just give it away to other campaigns.

I'm never donating through ActBlue again, and if the candidate doesn't have a convenient way to donate without ActBlue, they must not need my small donation.

rickehling.bsky.social•3 days ago

I used to just type “Stop”…now I report as junk.
I will never donate to someone who I don’t know who texts me.
And though I’m far from formal IRL, I hate the assumption that we’re first name friends.

lardog.bsky.social•3 days ago

It’s terrible. I reply stop and then click report junk on every one of them.

cborshuk.bsky.social•3 days ago

“This shit has to stop” - you said it, sister!

haterofhate.bsky.social•4 days ago

yep, they want your money, doesn't matter that they are not in your district or that they don't actually know what you or they-themselves-stand for

ckuss.bsky.social•3 days ago

Word Charlotte

rdillon1533.bsky.social•3 days ago

Got that same text a couple hours ago. Immediately said 'stop'. Come on, don't play that game. Such a f'n turnoff.

joyupnorth.bsky.social•2 days ago

This speaks to me! Who expects me to donate without getting to know the candidate first? By all means send me a link to a long form interview, invite me to share a concern. But stop showing up my text messages with your hand out.

nildesperandumvt.bsky.social•2 days ago

Am annoyed by texts from campaigns outside my state where I've lived and voted for over fifty years.
From a state I've never set foot in.
Yes, I've responded with a "please remove this phone number from your lists. I do not vote in your state" many times. Grr. 😠

caborose.bsky.social•2 days ago

I stopped reading and just delete them. It is just sad.

triggeredbytrump.bsky.social•3 days ago

Couldn’t agree with you more. I usually get a few a day. I’ve started sending Stop replies which makes me sad but at this point I can’t keep giving.
And it’s so annoying!!

genbryan.bsky.social•3 days ago

I hear u, patriot.! Essay is spot-fucking-on..!!👌💪

carolmcdonald.bsky.social•4 days ago

The Democratic Party’s brand is in freefall on many levels, including these SMS fundraising tactics. I need them to do better. And I say that with deep love

dalaimama.bsky.social•3 days ago

I say it with deep hate. The fact that there is no way to permanently opt out infuriates me. SMS marketing should have to be opted into for every individual candidate. At this point, I’d rather set money on fire than donate to politics.

worldcitizen1994.bsky.social•3 days ago

How are they to do better? What suggestions do you offer?

charlotteclymer.bsky.social•4 days ago

Always with deep love. We criticize because we love.

aprimo224.bsky.social•3 days ago

I don't love the Democratic Party anymore, if I ever did. But we do need them. And we need them to stop treating us like fucking marks. If that's not what they intend, they need to change their ways RIGHT NOW!

I give my money to help a disabled friend instead of greedy politicians.

e-five.bsky.social•3 days ago

The blame goes to SCOTUS for opening the floodgates on unlimited dark money in politics.

squindar.bsky.social•4 days ago

"I am confident in stating that this is hurting the Democratic Party." absolutely correct. I dropped my party affiliation to no party & have pledged to never donate to a campaign again. This shit has to stop.

televisionland.bsky.social•2 days ago

Such a shame. And I feel exactly the same. It's gone too far.

suchatravesty.bsky.social•3 days ago

100% drives me up the wall. and the emails! I don't know you. You aren't local. Leave me alone.

elizabethpgraham.bsky.social•3 days ago

I reply STOP. The messages from that number stop.

charlotteclymer.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes, Ma’am, to the one number, not the other 99 that text recently. I have literally blocked *hundreds* of numbers over the past few years.

elizabethpgraham.bsky.social•3 days ago

That is too much.

I wonder if they have lists of people who give more than I do. For me, $25 is a whopping contribution.

charlotteclymer.bsky.social•3 days ago

I don't know, but I've given to many candidates over the years and raised money for a lot more and I don't appreciate the barrage of texts I get every week.

elizabethpgraham.bsky.social•3 days ago

And now you are being punished for it!

amidprivilege.bsky.social•3 days ago

It is really a problem.

boringlittlef.bsky.social•4 days ago

It’s insane - my junk file has tons of texts every day!

mustang70racer.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's not just dems. I gave to repub primary (deep red here, best we can do is lesser 2 evil in primary). Now I get both. Altho most from repubs come in email.

taibhseghealach.bsky.social•3 days ago

Doesn’t matter, democrats have no real argument

theotherhardyboy.bsky.social•3 days ago

Preach it Charlotte!

aliciaskarimbasmd.bsky.social•4 days ago

I have stopped donating due to spam fatigue. Formerly I was generous, but the subsequent tidal wave of solicitation emails and texts is such a negative consequence I just can’t anymore. I would stuff cash in a collection box if I could

drsaddison.bsky.social•4 days ago

Same. It's AGONIZING. And I suspect if I text "STOP" they just mark me a valid number and sell me along even more.

("Gavin Newsome" texted me today. Fuck off, Gavin.)

gardenjess.bsky.social•3 days ago

It depends who you text STOP to. 🫣

oliverthelakerat.bsky.social•2 days ago

My std response is: “do something, ANYTHING, that is the least bit fucking admirable”.

teddyfan.bsky.social•3 days ago

Amen! I feel like they have sold my data to every campaign from dog catcher to state and national offices and no matter how many times I reply STOP, it doesn't! Enough. @electdemocrats.bsky.social @kenmartin.bsky.social @repdelbene.bsky.social @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social

cherylm56588591.bsky.social•3 days ago

They’ve somehow gotten my government work email. I have never used that when I donated a few times in 2020. I know better. It can get me fired and no matter how often I ask them to stop, they refuse. I will not donate to a party trying to get me fired.

teddyfan.bsky.social•3 days ago

It also magnifies the intense need for #campaignfinancereform so non-stop (and apparently ineffective) fundraising is not permitted and necessary.

kateallday.bsky.social•3 days ago

I have been replying to all of them with END THE PALESTINIAN GENOCIDE NOW!!! and I don't get them from any Democrats anymore.

🤷‍♀️

margarheoric.bsky.social•3 days ago

Tragically, it invalidates a tool that could be really useful for collective action. If they would text me to DO something with them instead of asking for money that goes into the abyss of TV ads or similarly useless strategies, I would be more inclined to engage.

micaylah.bsky.social•2 days ago

joepositive.wtf•3 days ago

I agree 100% I've stopped donating via ActBlue because I don't want the inevitable blizzard of texts and emails begging me to chip in before the next fundraising deadline.

If I believe in a a candidate, I'll vote. With my vote, not my wallet. Because that's what really counts. Or should count.

rubyramone.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's ridiculous. I will NEVER not support Democrats, but this shit really pisses me off!

corybee.bsky.social•4 days ago

I’m honestly thinking about changing my phone number, but what if I get a recycled one and have the same problem?!

offkilter66.bsky.social•4 days ago

I changed my number due to identity issues and harassment from Medicare scammers. I also refused to donate to politicians this cycle. I didn't get very many political texts this cycle (with the new number). Not anything like what I had with the new #. But I had to change my # w/ banks,

offkilter66.bsky.social•4 days ago

medical providers, friends, utilities, etc. It's amazing how many businesses need your phone number. I had to give up a Facebook account because I couldn't 2 step authenticate. Same for SSA - that was pain.

corybee.bsky.social•3 days ago

Ugh what a pain!!!

crrrrrraig.bsky.social•3 days ago

I don't know who decided passive aggressive messages were the way to go but they are indeed sociopaths

danadoesdemocracy.bsky.social•4 days ago

That exact text yesterday, set me off too!

Seriously? You’re going to chastise me ffs?

It sounded like a text from maga.

I deleted it immediately and I really like the Representative.

Chastising me isn’t going to make me donate.

Showing you’ll fright for Americans WILL. 🥊🥊🥊

eyebesparky.bsky.social•3 days ago

Multiple times every damned day! I’m so done. I know there are wonderful candidates running who would be infinitely superior to those now in office but I’m bombarded every day. I’ve been so disgusted by all the senators to whom I contributed in ‘24, that I’ve just plain stopped responding.

rickbritt.bsky.social•2 days ago

Those who lead off waving their DD-214 get blocked the fastest. If the last ten years have proven anything, it is that prior military service isn't a good guide to character at all in politics.

brynneridley.bsky.social•3 days ago

Well said. Over the past ten years the asks have just kept growing from candidates and PACs I've never heard of. I've received whiny and/or aggressive texts as late as 11:45 pm and as early as 5:30 am. It is such an enormous turnoff that I can't believe they keep escalating instead of backing off.

pmmcdaniel.bsky.social•3 days ago

I was wondering today why Democrats don’t hire an advertising expert to help them. Their emails and texts are just awful.

lotuslady19.bsky.social•3 days ago

Thank you. I too have had enough, and I am called several different names though I have not changed my name.

miss-smirker.bsky.social•3 days ago

If I get another text from James Carville I’m gonna lose my mind.

rhonda234567.bsky.social•4 days ago

And there is the problem, exactly.

herostratus356.bsky.social•3 days ago

The left wanted the Democrats to be less dependent on big donors and more dependent on small donors. Now they're mad that they get more fundraising emails.

Make up your mind.

mampdx.bsky.social•3 days ago

Emails are one thing, and more easily ignored. Texts are beyond annoying since most people have the notifications on for those.

organicbarb.bsky.social•2 days ago

They need to completely stop asking for money and demand something like a general strike, or major boycotts of heavy Republican supporters like Chevron and Exxon. NOW.

Fundraising as usual is not the path forward.

daveb16.bsky.social•3 days ago

I love you Charlotte, but if you can’t deal with unwanted text messages, I’m afraid you’re falling into the MAGA-like trap of bitching about minor annoyances while the big issues are a four-alarm fire

What are you going to complain about next? Low-flow shower heads? Non-flushing toilets?

clark414.bsky.social•3 days ago

I hate these texts but I do have some empathy for the candidates. Raising money is not easy and these candidates are generally worthy of support. Yet, I’m still feeling BURNED by the last election and I’m just not in a giving mood.

lidubot.bsky.social•3 days ago

But seriously though does this work on anyone? Does anyone get a text like that ask me say, let me give this unknown entity my credit card number?

hedleylamarr23.bsky.social•4 days ago

I keep getting texts and emails that are supposedly from Kamala Harris. Unless she's running again and I missed the announcement, I'm guessing they're not really from her.

drsaddison.bsky.social•4 days ago

This is also a little-talked-about problem. You do not want to train your donors to blindly respond to texts with money because that's how fraud happens. I heard more than one person say they looked closer at the URL some "campaign" sent and it turned out to be a front for Republicans.

wolfiepink.bsky.social•3 days ago

No break from their fundraising, non stop all year every year. Sick and tired of it, so many texts daily. I don't even read my email anymore it's all junk. Leave me alone, only the big buck donors matter anyway.

lazuleo.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes yes yes to this! I unfortunately have stopped donating to candidates who use SMS to beg for money from previous donors. I report them as junk and block. I know they need to raise money. I really do. But I can’t tolerate this type of fundraising. They need a better plan for that.

epesola.bsky.social•3 days ago

And the emails, too.

birchmoon32.bsky.social•3 days ago

There should be a universal opt-out. I won't give a cent to these obnoxious text requests.

awmarch.bsky.social•3 days ago

I admire most Democrats who step up and run for office, often against long odds. With our current system they need money and have to ask for it. Give if you want. Or don't. But the annoyance is a small price to pay for the chance to save democracy and promote good policy. They are doing their best.

southerndandy.bsky.social•3 days ago

Right. Campaigns take money, and the other side is bankrolled by billionaires. I don't think a few extra emails and texts are a hardship. But that's what filters are for.

pghpatrick.bsky.social•3 days ago

Many replies mentioned ActBlue, but I know several of the most persistent text messaging efforts were coming from campaigns using NGP VAN software.

nickmoyes.bsky.social•4 days ago

"Some will find this rant uncharitable"

I didn't.

kimberleelynn.bsky.social•4 days ago

I got two more this morning, from candidates I've never heard of.

DEMOCRATS!!! PLEASE STOP TEXTING US!

Thank you.

marvinlindsay.bsky.social•4 days ago

Thanks for using your platform to highlight this. I report them as junk & forward them to my cellular provider, but to no avail yet. I’m considering the unthinkable, referring them to the current administration’s FCC!

alexis8.bsky.social•3 days ago

It’s abusive!

laurenorder.bsky.social•3 days ago

Thank goodness TMobile sends most of mine to spam so I never see them. It had become too much and much of the messaging is terrible and seems dreadfully ineffective.

televisionland.bsky.social•2 days ago

@democrats.org @housedemocrats.bsky.social @democrats.senate.gov Stop it. I'm begging you. So many organizations have my cell that I spend significant time every day blocking numbers. You have no right to create work for me.

petewarden.bsky.social•4 days ago

What makes it even worse is that I've never received an "Attend this Tesla Takedown/March/Town Hall" text. They have amazing lists of sympathetic people, but don't do any organizing at all!

ellz.bsky.social•4 days ago

Same
I can type STOP so fast but sick of it

barefootinva.bsky.social•3 days ago

Thank you! It’s getting worse and worse.

lkc2025.bsky.social•3 days ago

I got this particular guilt-text and I hated it!! And that was in a flood of hate-worth texts! It was for @congressmanraja.bsky.social. Oddly, I feel more uncomfortable calling it out than his campaign seems to have felt about sending it.

forestrat.bsky.social•3 days ago

Same! And they even addressed me as a friend’s name and I felt it was bs.

williasr.bsky.social•4 days ago

I was thinking about donating to Sen. Ossoff (my senator) but didn't because I didn't want to deal with another round of texts and phone calls from dem candidates I've never heard of. Please dems, make it stop and I'll happily donate again.

fafofran.bsky.social•4 days ago

Hate to pile on Adam Schiff but the unsolicited donation requests came cascading into my phone right after I donated to his Senate campaign and I am extremely salty about him now.

phil-stone.bsky.social•4 days ago

I wound up "Stopping" Schiff texts, partly because I don't live in California, partly because of volume, but ultimately because I thought he was treating Katie Porter unfairly. But they Did Stop.

annaluna.bsky.social•3 days ago

This seems like a minor problem compared to the insanity happening all around us.

annatachcojimenez.bsky.social•4 days ago

Yep

titaniumartnerd.bsky.social•3 days ago

I think it’s spam. I don’t think most of them are from actual Democrats.

charlotteclymer.bsky.social•3 days ago

No, it's not just spam. There are actual flesh-and-blood Democrats who hire SMS consultants who send bullshit texts.

titaniumartnerd.bsky.social•3 days ago

Ugggghhhhh. I’ve been doing a lot of blocking, assuming a lot of it was pfishing. It’s really sad. I want to donate, but ActBlue is so spammy that it really makes me hesitate. There has to be a better way!

charlotteclymer.bsky.social•3 days ago

I wish there were, friend.

titaniumartnerd.bsky.social•3 days ago

One of the many things that needs to be revamped while we remake this world.

glsmd.bsky.social•3 days ago

well is always annoying but especially tone deaf when so many are losing jobs and Medicaid/ Social Security on the line and consumer protections gutted....first do your job to protect us-then we can talk

frecksdris.bsky.social•3 days ago

The DNC really need to fix this whole Actblue system before the next election . Selling our names results in text harassment . The only option is to send STOP requests and who knows who all these money requests are from

colleentxblue78.bsky.social•3 days ago

The Democratic Party really needs to rethink how they do their campaigns and how they reach voters.

All of the door knocking, the postcards, text message, emails, etc. did not work and has not been working.

washuffize.bsky.social•4 days ago

The party also needs to understand that the people they do reach with these texts are the worst at opsec. Who actually clicks a link from an unknown spammer? We should be championing secure comms, and instead they’re risking their constituents’ security by training them to do the opposite.

washuffize.bsky.social•4 days ago

I stopped freely donating because the party has ruined my phone and I don’t reward spammers. My texts are otherwise exclusively people close to me. I received dozens a day during 2024 election and donated 10-100x less than 2020 because of it. An app would easily solve their problem and mine.

harrisonbergeron22.bsky.social•3 days ago

💯

mhobart.bsky.social•3 days ago

If I want to donate, I go directly to the candidate’s website. I try not to use Act Blue. It is terrible there is no way to stop having your number sold.
Remember those golden days when only a few actual friends and colleagues had your cell?

lidubot.bsky.social•3 days ago

It actually has deterred me from donating to campaigns. Delete and report junk, yet it never ends.

adrianwapcaplet.bsky.social•2 days ago

I engage for only as long as it takes to block the number. It's whack-a-mole for sure, and because of it I'm never donating through @actblueorg.bsky.social again.

spamtam01.bsky.social•3 days ago

Did DOGE get access to Act Bue lists?

kevinforbesarts.bsky.social•2 days ago

my biggest bone to pick with these texts and emails is that I only hear from them when they fail. The second Trump won the second election my inbox was full of these. How about wait and ask for money when you actually WIN for once?

kevinforbesarts.bsky.social•2 days ago

Like there definitely a conflict of interest when a party's main political opponent is also their primary tool for fundraising.

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