Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, at 74, has transformed into an unexpected internet sensation, particularly on TikTok, where his candid and often humorous videos are racking up millions of views. In a recent post, Kennedy showed off his backyard, humorously warning viewers about potential dog waste on his lawn, a video that garnered over 1 million views and highlighted his unique appeal.
Kennedy is now the most-followed Republican senator on TikTok and boasts 1.3 million followers on Instagram, where his content also frequently goes viral. This digital fame, built on candor and off-color humor, could serve the junior senator well as he contemplates a potential presidential run in 2028, following in the footsteps of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris who have leveraged social media to reach younger voters.
Political science professor Debra Leiter noted that leaders appealing to young voters early in their lives are often successful long-term, as voting habits tend to stick. Kennedy himself has hinted at future possibilities, telling NewsNation he is focused on midterms and his Senate reelection but acknowledged discussions about a presidential bid, quoting the song “Why Not Me?”
His popularity extends beyond social media; Kennedy’s book, “How to Test Negative for Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will,” released in October, became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. When asked about his relation to the famous Democratic Kennedy family, he quipped on Theo Von’s podcast, “If I am, I’m the poor side of the family.”
While many Senate Republicans avoid TikTok due to its ties to China, Kennedy has embraced it, amassing 4.8 million likes. His Republican peers on the platform, like Tim Sheehy and Ted Cruz, have significantly smaller followings. In contrast, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey leads all U.S. senators with 1.7 million TikTok followers.
Kennedy, a former Democrat and five-term Louisiana state treasurer, switched parties in 2007. After two unsuccessful Senate attempts, he won his first Senate election in 2016 and was reelected in 2022 with a commanding 45-percentage-point victory.
His online fame grew as fan accounts began compiling his cable news appearances on TikTok. A montage of his quick wit last November earned 7 million views, and a similar post in July garnered 600,000. Kennedy’s memorable quotes, such as “I’m not saying you’re the dumbest person in the world, but you better hope the dumbest person in the world doesn’t die,” and his quips like “God, please give me patience because if you give me strength, I’m going to need bail money,” have become viral clips.
Experts like April Eichmeier, a professor of emerging media at the University of St. Thomas, believe Kennedy’s authentic, “backyard folksy” persona resonates because it’s unfiltered and relatable, a stark contrast to the curated content of the past. Scott Dunn, a political communication professor at Radford University, added that social media fosters parasocial relationships, creating a sense of intimacy between politicians and their followers.
This connection is evident in videos where Kennedy introduces his dog, Charlie, a part-Maltese, part-Terrier, or shares humorous anecdotes, like his dog’s past training by a homeless person to beg. The video introducing Charlie received 235,000 likes. Eichmeier suggests these humorous videos serve as an entry point, drawing people in to potentially engage with his political views.
"This is another one of those silly videos my staff told me I needed to make," the 74-year-old junior senator said in the video posted on June 17. Kennedy admitted, "I don't know why on God's green Earth anybody should care," before showing viewers his manicured grass, moisturized with the help of a sprinkler, and two patio umbrellas on an unstained deck.
Social media stardom could serve the Louisiana lawmaker well as he considers a bid to succeed President Donald Trump at the top of his party's 2028 ticket. Trump, of course, owns a social media platform, Truth Social, and before that, he relied on X, formerly Twitter, to relay his thoughts and opinions.
