Ben Dotson

Work: VP, Development @VictoryFund & @VictoryInst
Fun: Playing euphonium w/ @DCDD_Bands
Prev VP of Digital @emilyslist
TN/MI/DC 🏳️‍🌈 (he/him)

[Ben Dotson @Ben_Dotson]

@MattZeitlin also eggs (if they've never been refrigerated before)

[Jason Blum @jason_blum]

A fun one…

Comscore chief box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian is among those left stunned, saying there are virtually no comps. “I’ve been tracking and analyzing box office for 33 years now, and I thought I’d seen it all until this past weekend with the incredible performance of Obsession that required no caveats. A second weekend jump nearing 40 percent is virtually unprecedented in the annals of modern box office tracking, and there really is no direct apples-to-apples comparison available.“

[Ben Dotson @Ben_Dotson]

When people feel like they’re joining something hopeful rather than just reacting to something awful, they’re more likely to stick around. It gives people a reason to be there.

[Ben Dotson @Ben_Dotson]

Folks are going to be cynical about Mark’s take here, but I think he’s right. Community is central to how people experience politics online now — and positivity lowers the barrier to participation in ways outrage often doesn’t.

[Mark Cuban @mcuban]

Apparently @jamestalarico won with a huge turnout from young adults. Want to know why? Here is my guess:

On social media, the algorithms give you more of what you consume. Talarico’s messages are positive. To the point of being “syrupy”.

Voters that committed to watching his social posts, got more of not only his posts, but also other positive messages.

Contrast that with historically negative messaging across past elections, and I think the contrast was striking and motivational for many. Enough to draw record numbers to a primary.

It may be crazy to some, but the idea of “my feed and FYP got better the more I watched his videos” is enough to get voters excited to support and vote for him.

Call it “PositivityMaxxing” 😂. But I truly believe that candidates that can give positive messages, authentically and confidently , can be part of a new successful trend. Regardless of party or office.

Thoughts ?

[Frank Luntz @FrankLuntz]

America is losing blue-collar jobs – something that last occurred during the early pandemic and the 2008-09 Great Recession.

Employment across trades and industry is down -123,000 since early 2025, and has declined nearly every month since February.

👉🏻 https://t.co/zBASWDj2Qp

[Pete Buttigieg @PeteButtigieg]

It's an old and obvious pattern. An unpopular president - failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home - decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.

The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.

[The New Yorker @NewYorker]

“The biggest disappointment of 2025 may well have been not what Trump did but how so many let it happen.” @sbg1 reviews the year in politics.
https://t.co/4hSFkolKxJ

[Team Talarico @TeamTalaricoHQ]

Undecided voter: How can someone like you convince me that my vote matters?

@JamesTalarico: They wouldn't be trying so hard to stop you from voting if your vote didn't matter. Texas is one of the hardest places to vote in the entire country. That is by design.

[D Bohnett Foundation @DavidBohnettFdn]

Former President Biden received LGBTQ+ Victory Institute's Chris Abele Impact Award for "his historic role in championing LGBTQ+ rights and for his leadership in achieving the most LGBTQ+ inclusive administration in U.S. history." https://t.co/CUMtcNrr6S

[Michael K. Lāvers (He/Him) @mklavers81]

Tuve la oportunidad de entrevistar a @CarlaAntonelli, la primera senadora #trans en #España, aquí en Washington después de su inducción al Salón de la Fama del Victory Institute aquí en Washington
https://t.co/guFigPgzDA @WashBlade

[Washington Blade @WashBlade]

Victory Institute honors transgender Spanish senator in D.C. https://t.co/iWnJ5iSpGU

[Michael K. Lāvers (He/Him) @mklavers81]

Maine Gov. @JanetMillsforME opened the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s annual #DC conference. Mills successfully challenged the White House over its executive order that bans trans athletes from school sports teams consistent w/their gender identity.
https://t.co/twQjHC1nSe @WashBlade

[The National Desk @TND]

Former President Joe Biden has a message for Americans.

While making a speech at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, where he received the Chris Abele Impact Award, he encourages attendees to "get up and fight" and "protect the constitution." https://t.co/ULV4ib19yn

[Fox News @FoxNews]

TWIST AND SHOUT: Former President Biden accuses "MAGA Republicans" of trying to "distort and derail" the "fight for equality" at an LGBTQ+ Victory Institute speech.

[Edward-Isaac Dovere @IsaacDovere]

Biden today at Victory Institute’s International LGBTQ+ Leaders event in D.C.:
“To all who love our country, to all, all of us who are dismayed by the present state of the union, this is no time to give up. It’s time to get up and fight back. Get up, continue the fight."

[Fox News @FoxNews]

'FIGHT BACK': Former President Biden urges Americans to resist the Trump admin during an LGBTQ+ Victory Institute speech.

[PBS News @NewsHour]

WATCH LIVE: Biden honored at LGBTQ+ Victory Institute
https://t.co/vASdtfGNzA

[Acyn @Acyn]

Biden: Right now, there are young people sitting at home going through social media wondering whether they'll ever meant to be loved, ever marry, ever have family ever truly be accepted for who they are.

My message to young people is this, just be you, you are loved.

[Congressional Equality Caucus @EqualityCaucus]

Thank you to the @VictoryInst for having Chair @RepMarkTakano come and talk about his and the Equality Caucus’s work fighting for LGBQI+ equality, including how we’re fighting back against anti-equality attacks by Trump and the GOP.

[Jennifer Bendery @jbendery]

To applause and tears, Joe Biden today urged LGBTQ+ people to “get up and fight back” against Trump’s efforts to demonize them.

“This is no time to give up. Get up!"

"There’s nothing more American than the notion of equality. Nothing, nothing, nothing." https://t.co/h42EgKMphd