The US presidential campaigns are over but the battle for attention continues with all the intensity of the lead-up to the election. Both campaigns are still trying to raise funds and motivate loyal followers as the Trump camp seeks to file legal challenges during the vote counts for several crucial battle ground states. The Republican National Committee’s website home screen is less than subtle, with a huge graphic and the words, “We need to fight back” urging supporters to contribute for an “official election defence” fund. The Democratic National Committee’s website shows no hint of a legal defence fund, but that is not to say the Biden campaign is not pushing to raise more funds. It is requesting donations from supporters through emails and social media posts. “The fight is not over," reads a graphic on a tweet sent out Wednesday, asking for financial assistance for a “Biden Fight Fund” to ensure all votes are counted. The Trump campaign has also been prolific with texts to supporters. Several progressive groups are have also been gearing up to influence the post-election vote debate. MoveOn, a prominent left-leaning organisation, asked supporters to donate to “mobilise if Donald Trump refuses to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election". Besides financial resources, there is also a continuing fight for attention between the two presidential candidates. Mr Trump has never struggled for loyal followers, and hours after he gave a fiery speech casting doubt on the mail-in-ballots being counted, fervent supporters showed up at ballot processing centres in Michigan, Nevada and Arizona. Some banged on windows, chanted and yelled at election officials, calling for a stop to the vote counting. It dominated screens around the world, showing a divided US, and turning up the volume on Mr Trump’s false narrative over postal ballots. It is possible that some of that motivation from Trump supporters came from a page on Facebook. The tech giant recently took down the page for “organising protests against the baseless claim that Democrats were stealing the election", Reuters reported. On the other side, groups such as Shut Down DC and DC Action Lab applied for demonstration permits before the election. When results first showed a very close race with no clear winner, Shut Down DC organised marches around Washington demanding that every vote be counted. The group quickly adapted its message on election night to fit the mood of the results. “The polls have closed and record numbers of voters have cast their ballots in this election," an email from the group read. "Now it’s time to make sure that every single vote is counted." A follow-up email was also in line with current events, telling supporters: “As the votes are counted, it is becoming more and more clear that Joe Biden will win the electoral college.” Many of the protesters had hand-made signs that read “Count every vote”. Similar protests unfolded in other cities throughout the US, some of which were organised by a coalition of left-leaning groups called Protect the Results. “We are building a coalition of voters ready to mobilise if Donald Trump undermines the results of the 2020 presidential election,” the group’s website reads. Black Lives Matter and climate change protesters have also joined the protests in Washington, creating numbers while promoting different issues. Conservatives and liberals are gearing up for a debate that will play out in the form of demonstration visuals, talking points, and possibly legal arguments. It is a battle – in the courts, streets and online – that could take weeks, with both sides settling in for the long haul.
