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WalkAway campaign
The #WalkAway campaign is a social-media campaign that was launched ahead of the United States 2018 mid-term elections with the stated purpose of encouraging voters to leave the Democratic Party. The campaign, which also organized events to support Donald Trump, was noted and criticized for its astroturfing methods and the claim that there was a popular movement of people leaving the party.
In 2021, the group's founder, Brandon Straka, a hairstylist and aspiring actor from New York City, participated in the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Following this, the group's Facebook page, which had more than half a million followers, was closed for violations of the site's terms of service.
The campaign is set up as a foundation and a political action committee:
Observers and commentators have raised doubts as to what extent #WalkAway Campaign is an example of astroturfing rather than a genuine grassroots movement. Soon after its founding in 2018, WalkAway received a $10,000 (~$12,267 in 2024) donation from Alex Jones and InfoWars. In 2019, Straka said WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100." In May 2020, OpenSecrets reported that of the $20,104 donated to WalkAway in 2020, a total of $7,521 was contributed by nine donors who gave $200 or more. One was Straka himself.[better source needed]
In the run-up to the 2020 United States presidential election, the WalkAway campaign held rallies and marches in various cities, an effort to get people to vote for President Donald Trump. In August 2020, the WalkAway campaign held a rally in West Hollywood, California. Nearly 300 demonstrators attended, including YouTuber Joy Villa. Many held flags and signs supportive of Trump and critical of the Democratic Party. On September 5, the campaign held a rally in Dallas, Texas, during which a Black Lives Matter counter-protester was arrested for misdemeanor assault. On October 3, 2020, Straka held a rally in Washington, D.C. In 2025, the WalkAway Campaign launched the American Restoration Tour to encourage voters to leave the Democratic Party and support conservative candidates, targeting states like California, New Jersey, and Virginia. On April 27, 2025, a rally was held in Beverly Hills, California, with speakers including former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, conservative activist Jairo Tomico and musician Cherie Currie. The event aimed to mobilize voters for future elections.
Straka attended the 2021 United States Capitol attack and spoke to crowds on January 5 where he referred to the audience as "patriots" and referred repeatedly to a "revolution." He also told the attendees to "fight back" and added, "We are sending a message to the Democrats, we are not going away, you've got a problem!"
The next day, he urged protestors to take away a police officer's shield, shouting "Take it away from him" and "Take it! Take it!" Later, as others tried to charge through the entrance to the Capitol, he shouted, "Go! Go!"
On January 8, Facebook closed the #WalkAway page, which had more than half a million followers at the time. The page was replaced with a message from Facebook saying the page had violated its terms of use. The shutdown came in the wake of the Capitol attack, when Facebook and other social media platforms increased their enforcement of terms of service that ban the incitement of violence. Facebook said the page violated a policy on content that was, "hateful, threatening, or obscene".
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WalkAway campaign
The #WalkAway campaign is a social-media campaign that was launched ahead of the United States 2018 mid-term elections with the stated purpose of encouraging voters to leave the Democratic Party. The campaign, which also organized events to support Donald Trump, was noted and criticized for its astroturfing methods and the claim that there was a popular movement of people leaving the party.
In 2021, the group's founder, Brandon Straka, a hairstylist and aspiring actor from New York City, participated in the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Following this, the group's Facebook page, which had more than half a million followers, was closed for violations of the site's terms of service.
The campaign is set up as a foundation and a political action committee:
Observers and commentators have raised doubts as to what extent #WalkAway Campaign is an example of astroturfing rather than a genuine grassroots movement. Soon after its founding in 2018, WalkAway received a $10,000 (~$12,267 in 2024) donation from Alex Jones and InfoWars. In 2019, Straka said WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100." In May 2020, OpenSecrets reported that of the $20,104 donated to WalkAway in 2020, a total of $7,521 was contributed by nine donors who gave $200 or more. One was Straka himself.[better source needed]
In the run-up to the 2020 United States presidential election, the WalkAway campaign held rallies and marches in various cities, an effort to get people to vote for President Donald Trump. In August 2020, the WalkAway campaign held a rally in West Hollywood, California. Nearly 300 demonstrators attended, including YouTuber Joy Villa. Many held flags and signs supportive of Trump and critical of the Democratic Party. On September 5, the campaign held a rally in Dallas, Texas, during which a Black Lives Matter counter-protester was arrested for misdemeanor assault. On October 3, 2020, Straka held a rally in Washington, D.C. In 2025, the WalkAway Campaign launched the American Restoration Tour to encourage voters to leave the Democratic Party and support conservative candidates, targeting states like California, New Jersey, and Virginia. On April 27, 2025, a rally was held in Beverly Hills, California, with speakers including former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, conservative activist Jairo Tomico and musician Cherie Currie. The event aimed to mobilize voters for future elections.
Straka attended the 2021 United States Capitol attack and spoke to crowds on January 5 where he referred to the audience as "patriots" and referred repeatedly to a "revolution." He also told the attendees to "fight back" and added, "We are sending a message to the Democrats, we are not going away, you've got a problem!"
The next day, he urged protestors to take away a police officer's shield, shouting "Take it away from him" and "Take it! Take it!" Later, as others tried to charge through the entrance to the Capitol, he shouted, "Go! Go!"
On January 8, Facebook closed the #WalkAway page, which had more than half a million followers at the time. The page was replaced with a message from Facebook saying the page had violated its terms of use. The shutdown came in the wake of the Capitol attack, when Facebook and other social media platforms increased their enforcement of terms of service that ban the incitement of violence. Facebook said the page violated a policy on content that was, "hateful, threatening, or obscene".