POLITICO Finds Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez Lead Congress Social Media Race With 35.7 Million Followers
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 14
POLITICO Finds Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez Lead Congress Social Media Race With 35.7 Million Followers
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 14
Summary
POLITICO’s review of all 119th Congress members across X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook found Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez far ahead, with Sanders at 35.7 million followers and Ocasio-Cortez at 28.6 million.
Nearly 100 lawmakers now use TikTok despite congressional efforts to rein in the platform, underscoring how online reach has become a tool to shape narratives, pressure leadership and build national profiles.
John Kennedy and Melanie Stansbury emerged as breakout performers this term, with Kennedy topping 1 million followers on X and Instagram and Stansbury drawing 1.2 million on TikTok.
Potential 2028 contenders also rank high: Ted Cruz leads Republicans online, while Cory Booker, Jon Ossoff, Mark Kelly and Chris Murphy are among Democrats building sizable followings.
The rankings also show the limits of digital fame: Thomas Massie, Jasmine Crockett, Dan Crenshaw and Nancy Mace all built large audiences but will not return for the 120th Congress.
Are follower counts becoming Congress’s new currency, and what do viral clips reveal about who gains influence online?
Why are some lawmakers turning committee work, short videos, and personal posting styles into massive audiences across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook?