{"id":44434,"date":"2026-08-14T13:47:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T08:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=44434"},"modified":"2026-08-14T13:47:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T08:47:36","slug":"who-are-the-biggest-social-media-stars-in-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=44434","title":{"rendered":"Who are the biggest social media stars in Congress?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Members of the 119th Congress are bigger on social media than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>Dozens of lawmakers boast millions of Instagram followers and nearly 100 have launched TikTok accounts \u2014 in spite of Congress\u2019 own attempts to reign in the platform.<\/p>\n<p>With attention so often the most valuable currency on Capitol Hill, large followings can translate to opportunities for members to elevate their profile, drive a narrative or make a stink that\u2019s impossible for leadership to ignore. Generating clippable moments has become a ubiquitous goal of committee work, floor debates and any other congressional business that involves a camera.<\/p>\n<p>And as Democrats and Republicans reckon with generational change in their ranks, the ability to message online has also become a growing litmus test for future party leaders and a prerequisite for any presidential wannabe.<\/p>\n<p>POLITICO analyzed social media followings on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for all sitting members of Congress to see whose hard work to win reach and influence has paid off. For lawmakers who regularly use both an official and personal account, POLITICO deferred to the account with the highest following.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a look at members\u2019 internet cache and how it\u2019s growing:<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">Standard bearers<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/3c\/4a\/a3b9035f4b2cbac10099aa36484f\/u-s-congress-72264.jpg\" alt=\"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) waves as she boards an elevator on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol March 21, 2024. \" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO \" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"24081721272264\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) waves as she boards an elevator on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol March 21, 2024. \" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"cms-textAlign-left\">Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio<b>&#8211;<\/b>Cortez (D-N.Y.), two darlings of the progressive movement, boast huge numbers.<\/p>\n<p>Sanders has a whopping 14.9 million followers on X, 8.9 million on Instagram, 3.7 million on TikTok and 8.2 million on Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>Ocasio-Cortez is the only member of Congress to rival Sanders\u2019 following with 12.6 million followers on X, 9.7 million on Instagram, 4.1 million on TikTok and 2.2 million on Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>Another high-profile progressive, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, stands out with 16.5 million followers across platforms. And Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notus.org\/congress\/democratic-battle-go-viral\" target=\"_blank\"><u>led a campaign<\/u><\/a> to juice Senate Democrats\u2019 social media presence, has 10.7 million followers on all platforms collectively.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always believed in meeting people where they\u2019re getting their information, building community, and shaping their understanding of the world,\u201d Booker said in a statement, adding, \u201cwhen we use these tools with intention and authenticity, we can break down barriers, strengthen our democracy, and stay rooted in the conversations that matter most.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Republicans, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas runs ahead of the pack with his social media following: 7 million on X, 1.3 million on Instagram and 2.8 million on Facebook. Cruz, like most of his GOP peers, does not have a presence on TikTok, but he is dominating the Hill podcast scene with \u201cVerdict.\u201d<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">Breakout stars<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/a1\/e7\/0d852f954ea9a529cd6c61f3f14c\/u-s-congress-66197.jpg\" alt=\"Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 3, 2026. \" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"26216028966197\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 3, 2026. \" \/><\/p>\n<p>One lawmaker capturing major new social media attention this Congress is Sen. John Kennedy, whose folksy clips that regularly feature his exercise machine named \u201cMargaret\u201d have garnered over 1 million followers on X and Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>The Louisiana Republican has also gotten a boost from other users\u2019 almost-inescapable compilation videos of his colorful similes and sayings. The newfound stardom for the senator is also sparking buzz about a potential 2028 presidential bid \u2014 which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/07\/10\/john-kennedy-senate-campaign-viral-00992710\" target=\"_blank\"><u>he isn\u2019t ruling out<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has also taken off with explanatory videos and clips of her work on the panel that have drawn in 1.2 million TikTok followers.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">2028 buzz<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/63\/a2\/72fb49bb4301baf749bc83ee935b\/u-s-congress-27281.jpg\" alt=\"Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) speaks with reporters as he departs the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 3, 2026. \" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"26215862527281\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) speaks with reporters as he departs the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 3, 2026. \" \/><\/p>\n<p>Members weighing a 2028 presidential bid have amassed some of the highest followings in the 119th Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Other than Cruz on the Republican side, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has over 8.5 million followers across his top accounts on each platform, while Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri \u2014 who is not on TikTok \u2014 trails Paul with his own 5.6 million followers.<\/p>\n<p>For Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez and Booker lead the pack, followed by Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia with 3.6 million followers; Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Chris Murphy of Connecticut both have about 2.5 million.<\/p>\n<p>Members who previously made White House runs also enjoy large followings. That includes Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, now the Democratic nominee for governor, who has 3.5 million followers and enjoyed attention for posting <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/amyklobuchar\/status\/1695052478264258707\" target=\"_blank\"><u>photos<\/u><\/a> with buff, shirtless firefighters.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">Best of committees<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/1a\/50\/ab6cec6446658968ecd2865baf44\/u-s-congress-2-32.jpg\" alt=\"Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks with reporters as he departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 23, 2026.\" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"26205592302032\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks with reporters as he departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 23, 2026.\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Wielding a committee gavel also doesn&#8217;t hurt social media engagement, especially on X.<\/p>\n<p>The House Judiciary Committee is led by two social media heavyweights: Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), with his staggering 6.8 million X followers, and top Democrat Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who has just under a million on X.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re using social media every day to counter disinformation and to rally the forces of democracy and freedom,\u201d Raskin said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty amazing to go from a situation where we used to have to issue press releases whenever we wanted to say anything to a situation where we can communicate directly with millions of people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Maxine Waters of California \u2014 the longtime top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee \u2014 also stands out for her 1.4 million X followers.<\/p>\n<p>Across the Capitol, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, has about a million followers on X and, at 92 years old, is famous for doing his own social media posting. He\u2019s gone viral for his earnest use of misspelled words and abbreviations to adhere to the platform\u2019s character limits and enjoys sharing snapshots of his everyday life \u2014 such as when he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ChuckGrassley\/status\/261636623924621312?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\"><u>ran over a deer<\/u><\/a> with his car.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">First timers<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/67\/c3\/fb782efa46fb90c56479eb18efcc\/newly-elected-119th-congress-freshmen-52284.jpg\" alt=\"Then-Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-Texas) poses for a portrait on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Nov. 15, 2024. \" data-portal-copyright=\"Angelina Katsanis\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"24320624152284\" data-licensor-name=\"Angelina Katsanis\/POLITICO\" data-title=\"Then-Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-Texas) poses for a portrait on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Nov. 15, 2024. \" \/><\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s one star of the House\u2019s freshman class online, it\u2019s Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas. The GOP hard-liner is nearing 1 million followers on Instagram<b>, <\/b>where he shares clips of his committee appearances or TV hits. He also has over 699,900 followers on TikTok with millions of \u201clikes,\u201d and over 368,700 followers on X.<\/p>\n<p>Behind him on Instagram are Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.)<b>,<\/b> with over 188,000 followers, and Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), with over 186,000 followers \u2014 both on their top platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The goal for many members isn\u2019t just virality \u2014 \u201cit\u2019s effective messaging,\u201d McBride said in a statement. \u201cAnd even if it is just a funny video, we need to break through the toxicity in our discourse and remind one another of our shared humanity. At the end of the day, social media isn\u2019t just a communications tool.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McBride is also a lead performer on TikTok with 153,600 followers<b>, <\/b>as is Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), who is building his own momentum with over 73,900 followers, where he\u2019s seemingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@repsuhas\/video\/7667347302834523423\" target=\"_blank\"><u>hopping on every trend<\/u><\/a> on the app.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always try to reel people in with the fun or interesting stuff, and then I try to keep them around with the floor speeches and the traditional videos that you would expect from a member of Congress,\u201d Subramanyam said. \u201cBoth are important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) is another freshman on the rise with nearly half a million X followers. \u201cI speak unapologetically, and that tends to get attention,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Of Senate freshmen, Sen. Adam Schiff wins in a landslide with 3.3 million followers on X \u2014 his top account. The California Democrat rose to prominence as a member of the House, when he was a manager of President Donald Trump\u2019s 2020 impeachment trial.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">Leaders in leadership<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/50\/3d\/a292cdce47229accad49eb11f189\/u-s-congress-188-1.jpg\" alt=\"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) looks on during a media availability after a House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol on July 15, 2026.\" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"26196828218801\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) looks on during a media availability after a House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol on July 15, 2026.\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A little known Louisiana Republican just a few years ago, Speaker Mike Johnson is now widely followed online with 1.2 million followers on his official X account, where every top leader has their most substantial following. His Democratic counterpart, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, has his own 1 million.<\/p>\n<p>On X, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York laps both House leaders with his own 3.6 million X followers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota \u2014 who has led his party in the Senate for eight fewer years than Schumer \u2014 trails with 373,000.<\/p>\n<p>But former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, who is retiring at the end of this term, still dominates them all, with 8.6 million X followers.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">Hard left and hard right<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/21\/f4\/a5a8679c40178721695fa0e0086a\/u-s-congress-22885.jpg\" alt=\"Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) arrives for a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2026. \" data-portal-copyright=\"Francis Chung\/POLITICO\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"0\" data-license-id=\"26204136322885\" data-licensor-name=\"AP\" data-title=\"Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) arrives for a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2026. \" \/><\/p>\n<p>Members who make noise on the House floor are also skilled at grabbing attention on social media.<\/p>\n<p>On the right, firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) runs away with 5.1 million followers on her personal X account, by far her biggest platform. She\u2019s also amassed a significant following on Instagram, with nearly half a million followers.<\/p>\n<p>And in the universe of far-right social media phenoms, Rep. Thomas Massie is also front and center with nearly two million X followers. The Kentucky Republican, who coined the hashtag #SassyWithMassie and is known for bucking his party, has over half a million followers on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>Trailing Massie is Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who has close to a million followers on X. Luna\u2019s personal Instagram account, meanwhile, boasts 791,000 followers.<\/p>\n<p>In the Senate, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah \u2014 who has a penchant for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/03\/21\/mike-lee-save-america-act-00839127\" target=\"_blank\"><u>waging war with leadership<\/u><\/a> via social media \u2014 has 852,000 X followers.<\/p>\n<p>A slate of progressives have also built mega-followings, especially the original members of the so-called \u201cSquad.\u201d Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has 2.8 million followers on her personal X account, 1.6 million followers on Instagram and over 863,300 followers on TikTok.<\/p>\n<p>Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) also have big networks, with Tlaib passing 1.4 million followers on X and over 745,000 on Instagram. Pressley has nearing a million followers on X and near half a million on Instagram.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"story-text__heading-medium is-centered\">And that\u2019s a wrap<\/h5>\n<p>As Massie learned the hard way through his primary defeat, social media success doesn\u2019t necessarily translate into electoral victory.<\/p>\n<p>Other members who will not be bringing their million-plus followers back for the 120th Congress include GOP Reps. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, who runs a popular podcast \u201cHold These Truths,\u201d and high-velocity poster Nancy Mace of South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett \u2014 who juiced her profile in Congress by posting unabashed takedowns of her Republican counterparts \u2014 also lost her primary for Texas Senate despite 2.9 million Instagram followers.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Members of the 119th Congress are bigger on social media than ever before. Dozens of lawmakers boast millions of Instagram followers and nearly 100 have launched TikTok accounts \u2014 in spite of Congress\u2019 own attempts to reign in the platform. With attention so often the most valuable currency on Capitol Hill, large followings can translate&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.politico.com\/3c\/4a\/a3b9035f4b2cbac10099aa36484f\/u-s-congress-72264.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44434"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44434\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/44435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}