The 2020 Candidates on Twitter

           
Which candidates are making the most effective use of Twitter?  Who are the most prolific Tweeters, and which candidates leave the
Tweeting to aides?  Would a content analysis of candidates' Tweets show different mixes of Tweets about daily life, policy, reactions to events in the news and retweets, and can one identify different Tweeting strategies or approaches.


@MichaelBennet
 @JoeBiden
 @MikeBloomberg
 @CoryBooker
Running to be your next president. Current Senator, former school superintendent. Two N’s, one T. Senator, Vice President, 2020 candidate for President of the United States, husband to , proud father & grandfather. Loves ice cream, aviators &  Entrepreneur, philanthropist, three-term mayor of New York City, father & grandfather, and 2020 candidate for president of the United States U.S. senator from New Jersey and Democratic candidate for president. Most tweets (and typos) are mine, some are my team’s.
@GovernorBullock @PeteButtigieg @JulianCastro @JohnDelaney
Husband. Father of three. Runner. Montana's 24th Governor. Candidate for President of the United States. Text FAIRSHOT to 30411 to join our campaign! Running for president of the United States. Afghanistan vet, musician, businessman, husband to Chasten, and South Bend's "Mayor Pete." (BOOT-edge-edge) Father, husband, Texan, presidential candidate. He/Him/Él. Former Sec. of Housing & Urban Development, Mayor of San Antonio. Dad of 4 daughters, married to April. Blue collar kid/successful entrepreneur/CEO/Congressman. 2020 candidate running on real solutions not impossible promises
@BilldeBlasio @TulsiGabbard @SenGillibrand @KamalaHarris
Mayor of New York City and candidate for president. Fighting for working people, no matter how much money you make or where you live. Ads by de Blasio 2020.
[ended campaign Aug. 15, 2019]		 Soldier. Veteran. Surfer. Congress. Candidate for President. (Use of TG's military rank, title, or photo do not imply Army or DoD endorsement.) Mom to Theo, Henry and dog Maple. Wife to Jonathan. U.S. Senator from NY and candidate for president. Not “very polite.”
[ended campaign Aug. 29, 2019]		 U.S. Senator and candidate for president. Wife, Momala, Auntie. Fighting for the people. No corporate PACs, just people like you. Text JOIN to 70785 to join us.
@Hickenlooper @JayInslee @AmyKlobucher @WayneMessam
Candidate for President. Former Governor of Colorado. Dad. Husband. Craft brewer and occasional banjo player. A name you won’t forget. Text "Hick" to 555888.
[ended campaign Aug. 15, 2019]		 Grandfather of 3; husband to Trudi; governor of WA. Running for president to defeat climate change. Join us today:
[ended campaign Aug. 21, 2019] 		U.S. Senator from Minnesota and candidate for President. Text AMY to 91990 to join our homegrown campaign. Mayor of Miramar, FL. Climate-conscious business owner. Father of 3, husband. Natl 🏉 champ. 1st Gen 🇺🇸. Running for President of the United States.
[ended campaign Nov. 20, 2019]
@SethMoulton @BetoORourke @DevalPatrick @TimRyan
Father, husband, Marine, Congressman, and candidate for President of the United States. It's time for a new generation of leadership.
[ended campaign Aug. 23, 2019] 		Building a new kind of politics through a grassroots campaign for America -- for everyone in America. Powered by people, not PACs.
[ended campaign Nov. 1, 2019]		 Former Massachusetts Governor. Committed to the values of generational responsibility and the politics of conviction.

[ended campaign Oct. 24, 2019]
@BernieSanders @JoeSestak @TomSteyer @EricSwalwell
U.S. Senator from Vermont and candidate for President of the United States. Husband and father. Former investor. Signed The Giving Pledge to donate half of my net worth in my lifetime. 2020 Democrat for president. Dad | Husband | Presidential Candidate who is ready to go big, be bold, and do good to create a better future for YOU and for America.
[ended campaign July 8, 2019]

@ewarren @marwilliamson @AndrewYang
U.S. Senator, former teacher, and candidate for president. Wife, mom (Amelia, Alex, Bailey, ), grandmother, and Okie. She/her. Official campaign account.

 Author, activist, non-denominational faith leader, founder of . 2020 candidate for President of the United States.  2020 US Presidential Candidate (D). Entrepreneur & Founder of My book: Join the campaign here:



@realDonaldTrump @MarkSanford
 @WalshFreedom
 @GovBillWeld
45th President of the United States of America🇺🇸 2020 Republican Presidential Candidate Former Representative for South Carolina's Lowcountry Former South Carolina Governor
[ended campaign Nov. 12, 2019]
 Republican Candidate for President. Former Congressman. Patriotic American. Husband, Father, Brother, Son. #BeBrave The official account for Governor Bill Weld and the Weld 2020 Presidential Campaign Committee.



this page as of Nov. 24, 2019.
earlier version

 
profile photos
What sort of images do the candidates use for the profile photos on their twitter pages?  First, a caveat: The profile photo does not appear in isolation; ideally it interplays with a well-chosen banner image to produce a stronger effect. Most of the profile photos feature a medium closeup or medium head shot of the candidate.  Over the many months of the campaign a number of the candidate images have changed; a baker's dozen changes are shown below.  A couple of images stand out: Biden started out with just the logo, Weld a photo with the campaign logo superimposed and O'Rourke a family shot.  The Trump photo, perhaps not surprisingly, is an extreme close up.  The contrast with the medium wide shot used by Biden is stark.  The profile photos are generally generic with nondescript backgrounds.  In some cases they are clearly from the campaign trial; for example the first Castro photo was from his announcement speech, Bullock's second photo from his appearance at the Iowa State Fair Soapbox, and O'Rourke's second photo had campaign signs in the background.  Castro, Gabbard and Inslee went to professional portrait shots, while Ryan went in the other direction toward a more casual shot with his son.  Several photos include the American flag.

old
 new

words
The words accompanying the profile photo provide a bit of biography, and for more than half the candidates include some mention of family.  Several of the candidates wedge in a bit of campaign message, slogan or "Text to."  Between May and September ten of the campaigns tweaked, honed or otherwise refined the candidate blurbs.  For example, Bullock removed a reference to dive bars, Castro added a cute gender identifier "He/Him/Él," Moulton added a slogan, "It's time for a new generation of leadership." O'Rourke added text where there was none previously.  Williamson went from "Spiritual and inspirational author, lecturer, non-profit activist - also 2020 candidate for Democratic nomination for President" to "Activist, Humanitarian and Entrepreneur. 2020 candidate for President of the United States" to "Author, activist, non-denominational faith leader, founder of . 2020 candidate for President of the United States." (The @TheWilliamsonI1 is the twitter for The Williamson Institute, which is offering a ten-part online course "The New You: A Total Life Makeover" available for $299 or at an early-bird rate of $249).

text changes
Bullock
May 19 - Husband. Father of three. Runner. Lover of dive bars. Montana's 24th Governor. Candidate for President of the United States.
July 9 - Husband. Father of three. Runner. Montana's 24th Governor. Candidate for President of the United States. Help us secure our space on the debate stage:
Sept. 28 - Husband. Father of three. Runner. Montana's 24th Governor. Candidate for President of the United States. Text FAIRSHOT to 30411 to join our campaign!

Castro
May 19 - Father, husband, Texan, presidential candidate. Former Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, Mayor of San Antonio. Text DEBATE to 484848 to support us!
July 9 - Father, husband, Texan, presidential candidate. He/Him/Él. Former Sec. of Housing & Urban Development, Mayor of San Antonio. Text DEBATE to 45300 to join us!
Sept. 28 - Father, husband, Texan, presidential candidate. He/Him/Él. Former Sec. of Housing & Urban Development, Mayor of San Antonio.

Delaney
July 9 - Blessed w/ 4 great girls & to be married to April. Blue collar kid/successful entrepreneur/CEO/Congressman. 2020 campaign on jobs/solutions/ideas/unity/decency
Sept. 28 - Dad of 4 daughters, married to April. Blue collar kid/successful entrepreneur/CEO/Congressman. 2020 candidate running on real solutions not impossible promises

Gillibrand
May 19 - Mom to Theo, Henry and dog Maple. Wife to Jonathan. U.S. Senator from NY and candidate for president. Text BRAVE to 60980 to get updates from Gillibrand 2020!
July 9 - Mom to Theo, Henry and dog Maple. Wife to Jonathan. U.S. Senator from NY and candidate for president. Not “very polite.”

Moulton
May 19 - Father, husband, Marine, Congressman, and candidate for President of the United States. Text SETH to 31996 to join the mission.
July 9 - Father, husband, Marine, Congressman, and candidate for President of the United States. It's time for a new generation of leadership.

O'Rourke
May 19 - [No text]
July 9 - Building a new kind of politics through a grassroots campaign for America -- for everyone in America. Powered by people, not PACs.

Ryan
May 19 - Running for President | Proud family man | Rep for Ohio’s 13th | Follow me on IG: | Tweets by Tim Ryan signed “TR”
July 9 - Running for Prez | Family man | Rep for Ohio’s 13th | Follow me on IG: 
Sept. 28 - Running for Prez  | Family man | Rep for Ohio’s 13th | Dayton Tragedy Fund 

Sestak
July 9 - Father & husband. Former 3-star Admiral, Dir for Defense Policy, Dir of Navy Anti-Terrorism Unit, & Congressman. Walked across PA. Running for President
Sept. 28 - Father & husband. Former 3-star Admiral, WH Director of Defense Policy, Dir of Navy Anti-Terrorism Unit, & Congressman. Walked across PA. Running for President.

Steyer
initial - Husband and father. Former investor. Signed The Giving Pledge to donate half of my net worth in my lifetime. 2020 Democrat for president.
Nov. 21 - Husband & father. Former investor, current climate activist, and 2020 Democrat for president. He/him. Follow @TomHQ for updates from my team on the ground.
Warren
July 9 - US Senator, MA. Former teacher & law professor. Wife, mom (Amelia, Alex, Bailey, ), grandmother, & Okie. Official account: 2020 Presidential Campaign.
Sept. 28 - U.S. Senator, former teacher, and candidate for president. Wife, mom (Amelia, Alex, Bailey, ), grandmother, and Okie. She/her. Official campaign account.
Williamson
May 19 - Spiritual and inspirational author, lecturer, non-profit activist - also 2020 candidate for Democratic nomination for President
July 9 - Activist, Humanitarian and Entrepreneur. 2020 candidate for President of the United States. 
Sept. 28 - Author, activist, non-denominational faith leader, founder of . 2020 candidate for President of the United States.  


bannner images
Banner images include the candidate interacting with family or constituents, rally scenes, solo shots of the candidate.  Often the campaign logo or a slogan is included.  A few of the banners are only text or logo.  Ideally the banner image and the profile photo work together and complement each other, rather than repeating or stepping on each other.

May 19, 2019 not done.  Above: from July 9, 2019.  Below: new from Sept. 28, 2019. 

ADVERTISEMENT