Local Politics 2.0

Howard Dean proved candidates could use the internet to raise funds and get people talking ... if not to come and vote for you. But a Wall Street Journal article published today focuses on how the internet is pulling money in for smaller, local campaigns.

Daniel Biss, a 30-year-old math professor running for the Illinois state legislature, almost surpassed John Edwards as one of the top money-raisers on ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising website. Of course, big-name candidates use the internet for fundraising, too; in a series of emails to supporters, the Obama campaign encouraged people around the nation to make an online contribution leading up to a recent trip to New York. The Biss campaign, however, has used the internet in a much less boring way, getting his friend and former Chicagoan, author John Green to post videos promising silly stunts if enough people gave enough money.