Billionaire Steyer Puts $20 Million Into Hillary Turnout Effort

Backing Hillary Clinton in her presidential bid, San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer said he would contribute $20 million of his own money into a campaign to mobilize 2 million voters in eight swing states, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The initiative which includes partnerships with labor groups, is estimated to cost $55 million, Steyer told Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC.

Targeting 200 college campuses, Steyer said the campaign will largely focus on "economic justice, environmental justice, racial justice and good schools."

Steyer, who already has donated nearly $40 million to liberal groups during this campaign cycle, said he is putting in an additional $15 million to his previous pledge of $5 million to For Our Future.

The money, which will be used for a door-to-door campaign, aims to knock on 2 million doors in seven swing states, encouraging voters to exercise their voting rights, USA Today reported.

"We think to a large extent this is a turnout election, that to a large extent it's not how you're going to vote but whether you're going to vote," Steyer said.

Voter participation among Millennials is key to the November outcome, Steyer said, adding "This is the biggest group of people in the United States of America, and they overwhelmingly support, in theory, Secretary Clinton. If they don't turn out, that's an absolutely overwhelming fact. If they don't turn out, that's a very troubling fact."

Describing his approach as different from Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson, Steyer said, "You are not going to change someone's opinion about their relationship with their government and their society in a 15-second TV ad."

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