{"id":2648211,"date":"2026-08-22T07:39:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T11:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-followers-become-voters-social-media-gets-a-test-in-the-2026-primaries\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T07:42:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T11:42:44","slug":"can-followers-become-voters-social-media-gets-a-test-in-the-2026-primaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-followers-become-voters-social-media-gets-a-test-in-the-2026-primaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Can followers become voters? Social media gets a test in the 2026 primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcan-followers-become-voters-social-media-gets-a-test-in-the-2026-primaries%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2648211&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon competed in a Democratic primary with limited funds and a modest digital ad spend but achieved victory partly due to her extensive social media following, highlighting the growing influence of online platforms in campaigns. Her success raises the question of how much a social media following actually impacts election outcomes. Historically, social media has been a cost-effective way for candidates to build recognition and mobilize supporters, but prior research shows that having a large online audience doesn&#8217;t necessarily translate into votes. Pioneered by Howard Dean and advanced by Barack Obama, digital outreach now plays a crucial role in campaign strategies, especially for candidates like Zohran Mamdani, who leveraged authentic, relatable content and influencer partnerships to boost his profile and turn social media attention into electoral support, exemplified by his NYC mayoral win.Mamdani\u2019s campaign exemplified how consistent messaging and personal branding can engage supporters beyond the platform, leading to volunteer recruitment and offline activism. Similar strategies are evident in other races, such as Nixon\u2019s grassroots mobilization in Florida and Abdul el Sayed\u2019s combination of digital content and extensive ground campaigns in Michigan, which helped him narrowly secure his nomination despite heavy outside spending. however, the effectiveness of social media in converting followers into voters isn&#8217;t guaranteed. Candidates like Elijah Manley, despite significant online support and endorsements from influencers, performed poorly at the polls, illustrating that online popularity alone isn&#8217;t enough. Pew Research indicates that social media tends to activate existing supporters rather than persuade new voters, and many followers do not change their views based on online content.Ultimately, prosperous campaigns must translate digital attention into genuine voter action through organized efforts, as demonstrated by victories and setbacks alike, highlighting both the potential and limitations of social media in modern electoral politics.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"159\">Florida<\/a> state Rep. Angie Nixon was dwarfed by her <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-primary\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2328\">Democratic primary<\/a> opponent\u2019s $16 million war chest, but she had something he didn\u2019t: hundreds of thousands of followers across her <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/social-media\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"433\">social media<\/a> platforms. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Florida\u2019s Democratic Senate primary, Nixon had raised under $1 million and spent just $50,000 on digital ads. Nevertheless, Nixon was victorious over retired Army Lt. Col. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alexander-vindman\/\">Alexander Vindman<\/a>, who had vastly more financial resources. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4696875\/graham-nordone-leans-on-trump-rescue-senate-bid-after-debate-gaffe-russell-fry\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Graham Nordone leans on Trump to rescue Senate bid after debate gaffe<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4696531\/social-media-2026-primary-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Can followers become voters? Social media gets a test in the 2026 primaries<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4697159\/trump-pleads-gop-voters-show-up-midterms\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump pleads with GOP voters to show up for midterm elections: \u2018Pretend I\u2019m on the ballot\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nixon used her social media following to garner grassroots support in the Sunshine State, but her success offered the latest example of an increasingly important question in political campaigns: How much is social media following worth at the ballot box?<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As social media has exploded over the past two decades, candidates now have access to a relatively inexpensive way to build name recognition and mobilize supporters, but political research and past elections show that a large digital audience does not necessarily translate into an electoral one. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using social media as a campaign tool was pioneered by Howard Dean in 2004 when he built his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination on the internet through blogs and websites, which he used to build enormous enthusiasm and raise money outside traditional political structures. Dean\u2019s campaign ultimately fell short because he wasn\u2019t able to bring that online audience to the polls.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former President<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"360\"> Barack Obama<\/a> took Dean\u2019s strategy further in 2008, marrying digital outreach with fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and field organizing. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nearly 20 years later, social media has become the testing ground for strategy, giving candidates a way to turn online attention into campaign support, and potentially, votes.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-mamdani-becomes-today-s-model\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mamdani becomes today\u2019s model<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When New York City Mayor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11802\">Zohran Mamdani<\/a> announced his mayoral bid as a nobody state legislator, he had just 14,000 followers on his personal Instagram account. By the time voters went to the primary polls in June, he had reached 1 million followers on the platform as videos promoting his affordability-focused agenda routinely drew hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of views. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But his victory in the Democratic mayoral primary election over former Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andrew-cuomo\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"927\">Andrew Cuomo<\/a> offered one of the clearest examples of a candidate turning social media attention into electoral momentum. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani\u2019s online strategy went beyond accumulating followers. His campaign packaged his policy proposals of a rent freeze, free buses, and city-owned grocery stores into short videos designed for social media, while using the platforms to introduce Mamdani to voters and reinforce a consistent message centered on New York\u2019s cost of living.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marina Orcutt, a co-founder of Democratic digital strategy company Watershed Strategy, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/gwhatchet.com\/2026\/04\/02\/political-strategists-talk-digital-media-strategy-in-modern-campaigns\/\">told<\/a> the <em>GW Hatchet<\/em> in April that Mamdani\u2019s social media strategy worked because he was able to develop a recognizable voice that felt organic to the audience. She explained that potential voters are adept at pointing out inauthenticity online, adding that consistency can be a key factor in a campaign\u2019s digital success. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cVoters, constituents, and donors can root out our inauthentic campaign behavior pretty quickly,\u201d Orcutt said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani also used influencers in an organic way, Orcutt said, adding that when celebrities or influencers were used, it was in a way that felt authentic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an ad released three days before the general election, Mamdani visited six nightclubs in one night. While on the street, he was recorded in conversation with comedians Mary Beth Barone and Stavros Halkias. The clip didn\u2019t feel staged by a director in a studio, but more like the viewer stopped by to join the discussion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4695391\/mike-rogers-data-center-moratorium\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4695391\/mike-rogers-data-center-moratorium\/\">MIKE ROGERS BACKS DATA CENTER MORATORIUM AS SOME GOP CANDIDATES SHIFT AGAINST AI<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/articles\/why-zohran-mamdanis-victory-matters-how-it-happened-what-it-means\/\">Brookings Institution<\/a> senior fellow E.J. Dionne Jr. described Mamdani\u2019s campaign operation as \u201cexceptional mastery\u201d of social media video because it demonstrated the payoff at the ballot box. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dionne notes that another factor in Mamdani\u2019s success has more to do with his image. Mamdani \u201cpresented as a happy and hopeful warrior,\u201d which his ads plastered across social media. The mayor\u2019s youth against Cuomo\u2019s aged appearance offered a new image for voters to stick in their minds, Dionne explains, a similar asset deployed by former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the value of Mamdani\u2019s social media presence extended beyond the number of people watching his videos. As his profile grew, so did the number of supporters willing to take his campaign offline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani\u2019s volunteer operation grew exponentially between his campaign launch and the primary, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/zohran-mamdani-volunteers-nyc-mayor-election-f693aed2a05ef98baf556e05ac4e8538\">according to<\/a> the <em>Associated Press<\/em>, with organizers reporting that many of the young New Yorkers who joined had never previously considered canvassing for a political campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That progression tracks with broader research into the relationship between social media and political participation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pew Research Center <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2016\/10\/25\/political-engagement-and-social-media\/\">has found that<\/a> people who follow political figures on social media are more likely than those who do not to volunteer for campaigns, attend political events, and encourage others to support a candidate at the polls. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani\u2019s digital strategy, then, did not replace the traditional work of turning out voters. It helped feed it. His videos built an audience around a recognizable candidate and message, while the campaign converted some of that attention into volunteers who could carry the message beyond social media and directly to voters.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-model-hits-the-midterm-elections-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The model hits the midterm elections <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani\u2019s success offered a blueprint for candidates hoping to turn an active social media presence into something more valuable at the ballot box. The 2026 primary elections have offered early tests of whether that strategy can translate beyond New York City. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Florida, Nixon was beaten on the fundraising front and had less name recognition than Vindman, who became known nationally for his testimony during President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s first impeachment. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nixon leaned on grassroots organizing and social media outreach to build support for a campaign heavily focused on affordability and other economic issues. She ultimately defeated Vindman by more than 12 points, winning roughly 56% of the vote. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During her primary campaign, Nixon\u2019s videos on social media, like Mamdani\u2019s, weren\u2019t polished productions. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One video, with almost 30,000 views, is just Nixon dancing with her constituents to a rap song. Although it may not discuss policy or anything about her campaign, that video brings people to her page, which is home to a trove of other videos. Nixon talks about her plans for Florida in casual vlog-style videos often filmed in her car or home, or through clips of her media appearances. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nixon may not have been a social media sensation, but she paired her online presence with good old-fashioned organizing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While her videos may only bring together a dozen people, as the <em>New York Times<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/08\/19\/us\/politics\/florida-primary-progressives-upset.html\">reported<\/a> of an event in Broward County, her campaign director Rachel Gilmer told the outlet that it is one of many small groups across Florida. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4693700\/house-democratic-campaign-adds-five-new-candidates-to-red-to-blue-program\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4693700\/house-democratic-campaign-adds-five-new-candidates-to-red-to-blue-program\/\">HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN ARM ADDS FIVE NEW CANDIDATES TO ITS \u2018RED TO BLUE\u2019 PROGRAM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Michigan, Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed built a sizable digital following during his Democratic Senate primary against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). El Sayed\u2019s Instagram audience grew from about 65,000 followers at the beginning of the year to more than 350,000 by the eve of the primary as his campaign produced more content. Stevens\u2019s following remained comparatively flat even as her campaign increased its own posting in the final weeks of the race. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like Mamdani, however, el Sayed paired his online presence with a substantial ground operation. His campaign held more than 500 events across 110 Michigan cities and assembled roughly 12,000 volunteers before he narrowly defeated Stevens for the Democratic nomination. He did so despite more than $60 million in outside spending during the contest, much of it aimed at defeating him. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their victories do not establish social media as a substitute for money, organizing, or other fundamentals of campaigning. Instead, they point to the role digital platforms can play in building the infrastructure behind a campaign \u2014 turning viewers into followers, followers into donors or volunteers, and potentially, those supporters into voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that conversion is far from guaranteed. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-when-followers-flop-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When followers flop <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same primary season has also demonstrated the limits of translating an online following into votes. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elijah Manley, a 27-year-old progressive organizer and substitute teacher, built a national profile and substantial online following during his challenge to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in Florida. His campaign attracted support from progressive outside groups and figures from outside the district as he sought to unseat the former Democratic National Committee chairwoman in a newly drawn, majority-black district. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Manley\u2019s personal accounts had a significantly smaller audience than Nixon\u2019s, he had digital celebrities backing him, such as Hasan Piker and Isaiah Martin. The two influencers have millions of followers, but chances are most of them couldn\u2019t cast a vote for Manley, only garner attention. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That attention did not translate into comparable support at the ballot box. Wasserman Schultz won about 45.6% of the vote in a five-way Democratic primary, while Manley finished third with roughly 14%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The disconnect is not new. In Pennsylvania\u2019s 2022 Senate Race, Republican Mehmet Oz had over 1 million followers on social media, compared with the under 200,000 for now-Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1175\">John Fetterman<\/a> (D-PA).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oz entered politics after years as a nationally known television personality, meaning a significant online audience did not necessarily represent Pennsylvania voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That distinction is one reason follower counts and traction alone offer an imperfect measure of a candidate\u2019s electoral strength. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2016\/10\/25\/the-tone-of-social-media-discussions-around-politics\/\">Pew Research Center found<\/a> that people who are already politically engaged are substantially more likely to follow candidates and political figures on social media than less-engaged users. It also found that 65% of people who followed political figures primarily followed those who shared their own political views.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Social media, in other words, may be better at identifying and activating existing supporters than persuading an entirely new electorate. Pew found 82% of social media users said they had never changed their view of a candidate because of something they saw on the platforms. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That leaves campaigns with essentially the same challenge they faced when Dean first demonstrated the political potential of the internet in 2004: turning attention into action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4692211\/fake-polls-median-strategies-midterm-elections\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4692211\/fake-polls-median-strategies-midterm-elections\/\">HOW FAKE POLLING COULD UPEND THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mamdani showed how an online audience can become part of a larger campaign operation, feeding other arms of voter engagement. Nixon\u2019s upset victory demonstrated how that model can help a candidate compete despite a significant financial disadvantage. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the losses by candidates such as Manley show that digital popularity carries electoral weight only when the audience behind it can be converted into the voters a candidate needs to win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nixon wins despite limited funds, leveraging social media followers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2648212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/angie-nixon-social-media-strategy.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[67720,84534,39039,32364,44713],"class_list":["post-2648211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-2026-primaries","tag-digital-influence","tag-political-engagement","tag-social-media","tag-voting-behavior"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/angie-nixon-social-media-strategy.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2648211"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2648215,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648211\/revisions\/2648215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2648212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2648211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2648211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2648211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}