Louisiana’s junior Republican senator, John Kennedy, is quietly building a massive online following that could serve him well as he weighs a potential bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. At 74 years old, Kennedy has emerged as an unlikely TikTok superstar, capturing the internet’s attention with his unfiltered candor, folksy humor, and viral videos. While other political leaders like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris heavily utilized social media to target younger voters in the 2024 election, Kennedy is already cultivating a digital fanbase that could bolster his long-term national ambitions.
Kennedy has accumulated 4.8 million likes on TikTok, making him the most-followed Republican senator on the platform. He also boasts 1.3 million followers on Instagram, where his videos frequently go viral. This digital footprint stands in stark contrast to his Republican colleagues in the Senate, many of whom have avoided TikTok due to its Chinese ownership. For instance, Montana Senator Tim Sheehy has a verified account with no videos and fewer than 300 followers, while Texas Senator Ted Cruz has just under 24,000 followers. Nationally, Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey remains the most-followed U.S. senator on TikTok with 1.7 million followers.
The Louisiana lawmaker's political journey began as a Democrat, serving five terms as Louisiana's state treasurer after his initial election in 1999. He switched to the Republican Party in August 2007 and, after two unsuccessful Senate bids, won his seat in 2016—the same year Donald Trump won the presidency. Kennedy secured reelection in 2022 by defeating his primary Democratic opponent by nearly 45 percentage points. While he recently told Katie Pavlich on NewsNation that he remains focused on the midterms and his Senate reelection, he did not rule out a 2028 presidential run, quoting the Judds' song "Why Not Me?" when asked about the possibility.
Much of Kennedy's online appeal stems from his highly relatable, unpolished content. In a June 17 video that gained over 1 million views, Kennedy filmed his backyard, calling it "another one of those silly videos my staff told me I needed to make." Admitting he didn't know "why on God's green Earth anybody should care," he showed off his sprinkler-moistened lawn and patio umbrellas before warning viewers not to step on the grass to avoid "dog poo." In another viral video that earned 235,000 likes, he wore a backwards baseball cap to introduce his 9-year-old part-Maltese, part-Terrier dog, Charlie. Kennedy explained that Charlie, previously owned by a homeless person, serves as his "wireless doorbell" and can still be coaxed to walk on his hind legs to beg. He has also introduced followers to "Margaret," his elliptical trainer.
Beyond his domestic updates, Kennedy's sharp-tongued cable news appearances have become a staple of online fan accounts. One compilation video from last November garnered 7 million views, while a similar post in July reached 600,000 views. His memorable, off-color one-liners include telling Fox News, "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 remarking, "I don't know why we have to give money to countries that hate us; they should be able to hate us for free." During an appearance with Fox's Martha MacCallum, he joked, "God, please give me patience because if you give me strength, I'm going to need bail money." He even joked about his last name on comedian Theo Von's podcast "This Past Weekend," saying that if he is related to the famous Democratic Kennedy family, "I'm the poor side of the family." His October book, "How to Test Negative for Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will," also reached No.
1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Kennedy's office did not respond to requests for comment regarding his social media popularity.
Political and media experts note that Kennedy's success lies in his perceived authenticity. April Eichmeier, an emerging media professor at the University of St. Thomas, pointed out that decades ago, this kind of "backyard folksy" content would have only appeared in weekend magazines, but today it reaches audiences directly and unfiltered. Eichmeier added that these humorous videos serve as an easy entry point for voters to engage with his broader political message, referencing another of Kennedy's candid remarks: "This chicken salad is better than sex…
Not really, but you get the point." Scott Dunn, a political communication professor at Radford University, explained that social media allows politicians to establish "parasocial relationships" that foster a sense of one-sided intimacy with followers. Meanwhile, Debra Leiter, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, emphasized that appealing to young voters is a smart long-term strategy, as voters who start supporting a party at age 18, 19, or 20 often remain loyal for the rest of their lives.
