House Democrats compete for new social media followers

House Democrats are in a race to earn new Facebook, Twitter and YouTube followers.

The third annual “Member Online All-Star Competition” launched Monday and will last the next three weeks. The winner is based on the total number of new Facebook fans, Twitter followers and YouTube subscribers acquired during that time.

“Social media is critical to having an ongoing dialogue with the public, and over the course of the contest, House Democrats will work to engage with even more constituents and get our message out to millions of Americans,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in a statement. Hoyer’s office oversees the competition. “Last year’s competition resulted in over 57,000 new fans, followers and subscribers, and I know this year will be even more successful.”

Members of the House Democratic Caucus are automatically entered in the “All-Star Competition,” rather than opting in. That means any House Democrat — with the exception of members of leadership, who are disqualified — can win.

The three-week contest also includes committees and caucuses.

Last year, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) won.

House Republicans have held a similar contest earlier in the summer for the past three years, known as the “Republican New Media Challenge.” The goal of the contests is to increase use of new-media tools through friendly competition among members of Congress, a clear sign that both parties are convinced of the merits of social media.

See last year’s results in the chart provided by Hoyer’s office, below:

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