LinkedIn co-founder expects to back Clinton

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman predicts he will eventually support Hillary Clinton in the 2016 race but says he hasn’t yet felt the urge to get involved this cycle.  

Hoffman has been a major Democratic donor in years past, contributing $1 million to a super-PAC supporting President Obama late in 2012 and maxing out donations to the Democratic Party that cycle. 

{mosads}“Part of it is it is a little confusing as to how this is all going to play out. I say it is likely that I’m going to come out, depending on how you read the tea leaves, supporting Hillary,” he said Tuesday during a conference sponsored by the Internet Association in Menlo Park, Calif. 

He complemented Clinton’s campaign team and her previous government service. 

“But to some degree it is kind of like, OK, it hasn’t yet been important for me to get involved. The way that I tend to get involved is do I think that I can make a big difference. If I think I can make a big difference, I get involved,” he added. 

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Hoffman was one of about 100 people to donate at least $1 million in the last presidential election.

He has also donated to other left-leaning causes in the past. Last cycle, he donated $1 million to Mayday PAC, which is dedicated to supporting candidates who support campaign finance reform. At the time, the PAC was led by Lawrence Lessig, who recently announced a long-shot bid for president. 

“When I say I haven’t decided yet it’s kind of like well you generally have something that you say this is your key focus,” Hoffman said Tuesday, noting he could spend more time focusing on local races or a single issue. “And its not yet clear to me that the presidential election in 2016 will be my key focus.”

Hoffman said Internet policy issues should be addressed during Tuesday’s Democratic debate featuring Clinton, Bernie Sanders and others. But the focus should on the largest questions about the future of the country, he said, such as climate change, education, debt and investment, as well as gridlock in Washington. 

During his talk he said Washington and Silicon Valley are “talking past each other.” But he has seen some improvement on that front. He referenced New America’s tech fellows program aimed at embedding technologists in congressional offices, which is funded by donations from Hoffman.