Ms Rachel's Political Giving Laid Bare: $22,500 to Progressive Candidates From YouTube's Toddler Teacher
Federal and state filings list every gift, but Cameron Kasky's campaign refunded $1,500 after he quit his race
Ms Rachel, who teaches toddlers on YouTube, has given $22,500 (about £16,900) to six progressive and Democratic campaigns since 2024, filings show. The biggest sums went to three New York hopefuls: Cameron Kasky, Yuh-Line Niou, and Brad Lander. Kamala Harris and Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed got less, and one campaign refunded $1,500.
The timing matters. Three people who got Ms Rachel donations, including Lander and El-Sayed, face voters in the US midterms on Tuesday 3 November, just over two weeks away. Her brand also reaches parents through Netflix shows, Penguin Random House books, and Spin Master toys for toddlers.
Where the $22,500 Went
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) publishes the name of anyone giving a federal campaign more than $200 (£150.80) in an election cycle. Its records list five campaigns under Rachel Accurso and her maiden name, Griffin, at one New York postcode. El-Sayed's Michigan Senate bid received $3,000 (about £2,250) on 18 July 2026, 11 days before Ms Rachel praised him on Instagram. Lander, a former New York City comptroller, collected $4,500 (about £3,400) across January and March.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democratic socialist, received $3,500 (about £2,600). Kasky, a Parkland school shooting survivor, received $5,000 (about £3,750) in November 2025. His campaign refunded $1,500 (about £1,100) on the same day. Harris's campaign fund received $1,500 in three payments, though Fox News Digital reported $3,000. New York state records show the final $5,000 going to Niou's state Senate campaign on 5 March 2026.
What Ms Rachel Says About Her Politics
Ms Rachel set out her politics on 31 July, when she endorsed 12 candidates, including El-Sayed, on Instagram. 'I don't think anyone needs a billion dollars ever,' she wrote. Her political gifts of $22,500 come to about 2 per cent of $1 million (about £751,000). In September she said she would give that sum to match the rapper Macklemore's donation to groups supporting Palestinians. Her 31 July post had about 110,000 likes and 4,418 comments on 19 October, and it appears below.
Amanda Harding, a mother of young children, writes for The Daily Wire. She ended her column, published on 14 October, with a question for families: 'The kids are still watching. What are they learning?' David Kleeman, senior vice president of global trends at the children's media company Dubit, told Fox News Digital: 'Viewers often have a problem separating that real-life person from the character.' He added that she has kept her children's videos focused on learning.
What Happens on 3 November
El-Sayed won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary on 4 August with 48.5 per cent of the vote, and his midterm opponent is the Republican Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman. Lander and Chevalier won Democratic primaries in New York in June. Kasky withdrew from the race in January 2026, and his campaign refunded Ms Rachel's $1,500 on 6 February. Niou lost her state Senate primary.
Fox News Digital said it sought comment from Ms Rachel and all three companies, and its report carried no reply. Campaign committees for federal candidates running in the general election must file a pre-election report with the FEC by 22 October, covering activity through 14 October. Gifts of $1,000 (£750.40) or more received after that date must be reported within 48 hours. Anyone can search those filings by donor name on the FEC website.
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