Is Tom Steyer the progressive answer to the Koch brothers?

[JHB]

3. No. At least, not yet and not doing what he's doing

The Kochs mostly kept a low profile and funded a lobbying and messaging infrastructure. Conservative and libertarian think tanks to develop arguments and papers for politicians to quote and wave around, groups like ALEC to craft and push legislation, astroturf groups to create the illusion of broad support, etc.

They made connections so that they didn't foot the whole bill themselves, and it was all constructed to look as normal and respectable as possible. No high-profile, easy to demonize "evil rich dudes" until relatively recently.

A liberal version doesn't need to do it precisely the same way, but it's the infrastructure & messaging parts that need to be built, or better knit together the ones that already exist.

The messaging part is especially important. There is absolutely no liberal equivalent right-wing noise machine. How much would it cost him to fund and promote people who are already out there, but are operating on a shoestring because liberal moneybags don't "do" media?