Be a Good Influence LLC and the Rise of Paid Online Advocacy
Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner has channeled tens of thousands of dollars to a left-leaning consulting firm that leverages social media influencers to amplify his campaign, according to federal finance records. The Louisville-based Be a Good Influence LLC (Good Influence) has received at least $36,437.94 from Platner's team since September under the guise of "digital organizing."
Grassroots campaigns traditionally rely on small-dollar donations and local volunteers rather than paid digital networks. Platner, however, has simultaneously touted his operation as "the strongest grassroots campaign Maine has ever seen" while quietly funding a professional influencer apparatus.
Stuart Perelmuter, a Democratic strategist and former communications director for ex-Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth, founded Good Influence. The firm's model aggregates social media creators into a unified messaging bloc, bypassing traditional advertising in favor of influencer-driven outreach. "Rather than paying to work with a single influencer, we bundle creators for network effects," its website states.
Qasim Rashid and Undisclosed Promotions
Prominent among Good Influence's creators is Qasim Rashid, a onetime congressional candidate and self-described human rights lawyer. Rashid published a September Substack post praising Platner's "jaw-dropping" fundraising text, which accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement of "kidnapping people" and Israel of "genocide." He urged readers to donate to Platner without disclosing financial ties to the campaign or Good Influence.
Federal law requires clear disclosure of paid promotional content, but enforcement has lagged as social media campaigning evolves. "You can't see where the money is coming from or where it's going," Brendan Fischer of the Campaign Legal Center told the New York Times.
Rashid's subsequent TikTok interview and podcast appearance with Platner, both promoting the candidate, also lacked financial disclosures. Eleven days after the podcast aired, Platner's campaign cut Good Influence another $4,114 payment.
Other creators listed by Good Influence, including LGBTQ+ advocate Josh Helfgott, have similarly promoted Platner's calls to impeach Supreme Court justices and highlighted polls showing him leading incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. Campaign finance rules mandate disclosure of payments to firms like Good Influence but not individual influencer arrangements.
Good Influence has previously worked with high-profile Democrats, including Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign, which paid the firm over $600,000. The firm's founder has acknowledged that disclosure practices vary among creators, with some opting against tags that could reduce algorithmic reach.