ABSTRACT

The last two election cycles have seen record numbers of Americans going online for political news, to view official campaign videos, and to use Facebook and other online social networking sites to engage in the campaign (Smith 2009, 2011). At the same time, candidates for U.S. Congress have made significant strides incorporating Web sites and, most recently, social media into their campaigns. By 2012, 97% of the major party candidates had a campaign Web site, 95% had a Facebook presence, and 90% had a Twitter account, the most recent addition to social media campaign tools. This embrace of social media by a large majority of candidates running for Congress is changing the way that campaigns are managed, how money is raised, resources are allocated, and the means candidates use to communicate with the electorate and with their supporters and staff. Ultimately, social media has the potential to alter not only the dynamics of campaigns but also the nature of democratic elections.