The Senate is looking to join the influencer era.
One senator has a regular podcast, another gives video tours of hidden passages in the building, one amped up a crowd at Coachella, and another posted social media updates from his newsmaking trip to El Salvador.
The Senate, a chamber of arcane rules and an age minimum, has a reputation for being older and stuffier compared to its more rowdy House counterpart. But senators looking to raise their own national profiles are trying to break out of that mold to reach voters where they are: engaging in social media, podcasts, rallies, and trendy events. It’s offering senators a chance to get their crafted message out to younger audiences in a shifting media environment.
“I want to think creatively,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said when he came off the floor after delivering a record-breaking speech this month, which coincided with the launch of his official Senate TikTok that now touts more than 800,000 followers.
Democrats are looking for creative ways to message as they search for paths to fight against Trump after 2024 election losses. While Republican senators have other motivations, they’re looking to promote their individual political futures and getting some of Trump’s spotlight. Both parties hope it can translate to electoral success.
“You cannot now run a campaign without social media,” Shana Gadarian, a political science professor at Syracuse University, said. “There are people who are not going to tune into traditional coverage anymore.”
Plastering Social Media
Senators are no longer just putting on a show for C-Span. Many are taking up the short-form video format that’s captivated younger generations.
Booker, chair of the Senate Democratic Strategic Communications Committee, has led that effort, pressing his colleagues to do more social media. Booker’s own livestream of his 25-hour floor speech drew 350 million likes on TikTok, according to his office.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called it “insane that there’s only a handful of us that are on TikTok.” Roughly nine senators have verified TikTok accounts that are currently posting regularly.
More senators are making an effort to post on different platforms, whether it’s Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) making a video about being confused for one another, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) delivering a shaky selfie TikTok at a protest, or Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) dancing with his mother.
It’s not without complications. Senators are relying on X, a platform owned by Trump adviser Elon Musk, and TikTok, which faces a potential ban since it’s owned by a Chinese company. But so far, that hasn’t stopped them.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) used X to communicate about his trip to El Salvador in real time, posting updates as he fought to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration deported.
“I’d like them to get creative,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, pointing to Booker’s speech and Van Hollen’s trip as examples.
Republicans are in on it, too. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a fervent X poster, says he loves “dank memes.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) spent breaks during recent vote-a-ramas posting videos of himself giving Capitol tours, showing secret stairways and even bathtubs. But he also posts videos about how the Senate works — explaining cloture and what to expect on the floor.
Pumping Out Podcasts
What does Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have to say about President Donald Trump’s tariffs or his hopes to take over Greenland? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
“That’s a topic I’ve actually discussed at great length on my podcast,” Cruz has said repeatedly in the halls when facing certain questions from reporters.
Cruz uses a friendly co-host to talk through his thoughts, from recapping his trip on Air Force One to a UFC fight over recess to using the format to stand out by criticizing Trump’s tariffs.
Cruz isn’t alone in trying to use a podcast to raise his profile, especially since the next presidential election will be the first without Trump in three cycles. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and former Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who just lost his re-election bid, both recently launched their own podcasts.
Democrats have had a harder time in the podcast space, which is filled with Trump-friendly voices like Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson. But some senators have found ones to spread their message. Murphy has gone on a slew of podcasts in recent months to warn against Trump, including Pod Save America and The MeidasTouch Podcast.
“There’s a whole political conversation out there that senators are not involved in,” Murphy, who also has a Substack, said. “We are way too risk averse when it comes to going on shows and podcasts that are not conventional.”
Face-to-Face
Senators are still trying to capitalize on in-person meetings as Trump’s actions flood the zone. More Democratic senators, including Booker and Murphy, are appearing in town halls around the country to push back on Trump’s policies.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been particularly successful at it. He’s drawing in tens of thousands for his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. And he’s the only senator that appeared on stage at one of the biggest music festivals of the year.
“This country faces some very difficult challenges, and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation,” Sanders said as he introduced Clairo at Coachella over recess.
Some Republicans have backed away from town halls after seeing backlash and heated questions over cuts to federal jobs and programs. Democrats are trying to use the momentum to get their message out.
“Social media is a tool, but I really try to find other ways to be able to engage, especially face to face,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), one of the Senate’s younger members. “It’s a way that we can really break through.”
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