Progressive billionaire Tom Steyer is facing backlash over his use of paid social media influencers — and critics are now raising eyebrows over resurfaced details that one of the influencers tied to his California governor campaign was based in Texas.
The Democratic candidate paid a whopping $100,000 this election cycle to Carlos Eduardo Espina, a 27-year-old Uruguayan-American activist based in Houston with more than 22 million followers.
Espina, who speaks mostly in Spanish in all of his posts, has been courted by potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders for his wide reach into Latino voters. A Pew Research Center survey last year ranked him in the top five influencers for news alongside the likes of Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.
Steyer, with his deep pockets, has been able to acquire Espina to consult on issues related to Latinos. Campaign records state he was paid for “strategic advice and campaign surrogacy.”
The influencer has made dozens of posts and reels promoting Steyer, in many of which he is wearing a “Tom Steyer for Governor” shirt. None of the posts disclosed the $100,000 arrangement, which some argue would be required under state law.
Steyer recently defended his campaign’s social media influencers usage after state election regulators opened an investigation into whether online creators failed to properly disclose sponsored political content.
Kevin Liao, a spokesperson for the Steyer campaign, pushed back against the allegations in a statement to The California Post.
“Consistent with state law, payments for creator content are disclosed in campaign finance reports, and we notify creators we directly work with of their disclosure requirements. As a result, we are confident the complaint is baseless,” he said.
Espina told the New York Times that he didn’t need to actually disclose anything, because the posting was being done on his own and not part of any payment.
“People see me as a content creator, and they think all I do is content,” he said. “What I do is more of the advising side of things.”
Regardless of any potential rules violations, some critics have questioned the idea of hiring a Texas individual to comment on California issues.
“Carlos Espina is a sleazebag sellout,” one user said, sharing criticism from a pro-candidate Xavier Becerra influencer. “He got hella paid to promote Tom Steyer when he’s not even from California. Mind your own dumpster fire of a state, dude.”
Steyer back in April described Espina as a “trusted ambassador” who would connect with California Latinos on issues that affect all Latinos nationwide.
Espina noted to The Bulwark that he has relevance in California. Many of his followers are from the state, and he was swayed by his “friend” Congressman Ro Khanna’s (D-Calif.) endorsement of Steyer, he said.
The influencer said he’s made some impact on the Steyer campaign, such as advising him to do more stops in the Latino-heavy Central Valley and crowdsourcing from his California followers to help inform Steyer’s policy platform.
Candidates are now racing toward the June 2 primary for the governor’s election. Steyer is trying to wrest away the Democratic frontrunner position from Becerra, a Latino candidate who served as a secretary at the federal Health and Human Services department.
