Crooked Ideas launches creator program to win over young progressive voters

Crooked Ideas, the issue-focused nonprofit linked to Crooked Media’s Pod Save America network, announced a program aimed at re-engaging younger voters with left-leaning video content before the 2028 presidential race. The effort will fund creators who already have followings and nurture new political talent, experimenting with fast-paced street investigations modeled after conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley and bite-size comedic sketches designed to go viral.

Kyle Tharp, a progressive digital strategist whose Chaotic Era newsletter is influential in political advertising circles, will serve as executive director. Planned topics include AI safety, tech accountability, climate change, healthcare and income inequality, presented in an entertaining, non-preachy style. The move follows a broader push by progressive groups, such as Courier Newsroom and AND Media, to build a creator ecosystem that can counter the direct-to-voter tactics used by President Donald Trump.