( – promoted by Colorado Pols)
On February 14 I declared Jared Polis King of Colorado because his online presence was the strongest of all the Colorado Delegation. As of today, Polis is still king.
However, maybe some legislators do listen to CPolsters because in the three weeks since that diary, our legislator’s online presence has increased.
Surprisingly, Representative Scott Tipton had the greatest increase with a whopping 19% surge in facebook and twitter followers. Senator Michael Bennet came in second with just over 11% boost.
Rounding out the bottom of the Colorado delegation for the last few weeks are Coffman and Lamborn with a 1.76% and 2.49 increase respectively.
While Scott Tipton did surge by over 19%, all he really needs to do is sneeze and he can probably round up the 27 followers he needs to get out of last place so that Lamborn will truly be last in Colorado.
Now I know what you’re thinking: How can Scott Tipton’s paltry increase of 157 be considered a surge when Jared Polis’ increase of 428 followers is more than half of Tipton’s total followers? And to that I say, hey, you do your best to compare the heavyweight with the bantam weight. Give Tipton credit for trying. It could be worse, he could still be without a Twitter account like another delegation member who for the sake of not appearing partisan I will not name (hint, take a look at second to last on the list!).
As a reminder, these numbers were taken directly from the links from the websites of our legislators.
P.S. – sorry the tables below aren’t linear, formatting is not my specialty.
Followers Feb 14 Followers Today
Jared Polis
Facebook – 5,178 5,347
Twitter – 7,882 8,141
Total – 13,060 13,488 3.17% Increase
Mark Udall
Facebook – 5,159 5,346
Twitter – 6,732 6,999
Total – 11,891 12,345 3.67% Increase
Mike Coffman
Facebook – 2,971 3,000
Twitter – 4,728 4,837
Total – 7,699 7,837 1.76% Increase
Ed Perlmutter
Facebook – 2,375 2,436
Twitter – 2,544 2,637
Total – 4,919 5,073 3.03% Increase
Diana DeGette
Facebook – 3,453 3,545
Twitter – 1,049 1,361
Total – 4,502 4,906 8.23% Increase
Michael Bennet
Facebook – 2,322 2,475
Twitter – 404 593
Total – 2,726 3,068 11.14% Increase
Cory Gardner
Facebook – 416 467
Twitter – 1,329 1,437
Total – 1,745 1,904 8.35% Increase
Doug Lamborn
Facebook – 822 843
Twitter – not created Not Created
Total – 822 843 2.49% Increase
Scott Tipton
Facebook – 385 425
Twitter – 274 391
Total – 659 816 19.24% Increase
Full story: New Media: Lessons Learned, Some Still Don’t Care
I would love to know how many of them actually do post their own posts and interact with their constituents. I suspect few of them. A couple of years ago, I posted something on my facebook and actually had a conversation with Jared Polis about it later. He DOES read and interact with people on his own page! I think it makes him even more beloved in this state. Accessibility to one’s legislator has a huge impact on their favorability and re-elections. I wish they all did what Jared does.
I know a couple of years ago Hick was going to tweet and his staff talked him out of it.
I do think Jared is the only one who regularly interacts with constituents on the web.
David and Nancy – you two seem to be some of the best here that not only post, but interact with others.
That’s why you two are memorable here.
In the same way, Jared seems to personally interact and that is what it takes to have a solid online presence.
Most of the others probably just use fb and twitter for releases and as a platform to talk AT people as opposed to talking WITH people.
Big difference.
Social media is a two-way mechanism. And those who use it just to broadcast gain very little from it.
I am honored by your kind words. Thank you.
After Obama announced the troop increases in Afghanistan, Polis (not my Rep., Perlmutter is) came out forcefully against the strategy, calling it misguided and that we needed to reduce our presence there, not increase it.
I emailed Polis voicing my support of his stand, because he was the only one in the Colorado delegation that took a definitive stand in opposition.
I promptly got a form email back, thanking me for my email, but that’s all it really said.
So I figured OK, end of story. But about two months later I got an email of several paragraphs from Polis that specifically addressed the issues I raised in my email and further elaborated on his reasons for opposition. I’m almost certain it was written by him in a direct response to my email, so it was a pleasant surprise.
a fairly accurate automatic responder system and follows up later.
But he does follow up. On FB, by email, once on a phone call for me. The good ones schedule correspondence time.
Yay, Polis!
He has responded to several things I’ve posted over the last 2 or 3 years. Once, I posted the name of a person I thought he should talk to about health care. He contacted her. Another time, I volunteered at one of his events. He was wonderful to me, introducing me to the Congressional delegation of New Mexico. I was very honored that he even thought to do that. When I left at the end of the event, he said, “See you on facebook, Nancy!”
I wonder how much of John McCain’s loss of young voters was because he kept admitting he hadn’t learned anything new about technology in 40 years. I think the young people I know are really turned off by that. How can a legislator relate to young people, if they cannot interact with them about a trend that defines their generation?
When he didn’t know what a scanner at the grocery store was.
When you start losing touch with the world of the average man, (and that includes tools that they use) they’re going to notice.
I’ve added our Rep and Sens to my page.
I joined Facebook because Jared sent me an invite of some kind. Once I was on, I found other people I knew, but I’m pretty sure it was Jared who steered me Facebook-ward in the first place.