Use These Twitter Lists to Follow the California Election

Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and other online communities with user generated content are the de facto stumps for every political movement’s speech, especially when in person communication is limited due to our current global health crisis.

Twitter in particular offers a voice for politicians. Users can communicate in the form of comments, likes and tweets that create instant feedback and conversation.

With a highly contested election cycle right around the corner, it is more important now than ever to be in the know about the messages that are being communicated by those running for office in your state. Knowing how difficult it is to stay on top of all the various candidate’s Twitter accounts, SpeakEasy has streamlined this process for you.

The SpeakEasy team has created four separate Twitter lists of candidates that are running for state offices in the upcoming 2020 election. A Twitter list is a curated selection of accounts by following these lists, you’ll be able to easily narrow down your Twitter feed to California candidates for the State Assembly and State Senate! Here’s links to our four Twitter Lists ⬇️

🔵 Democratic Candidates for 2020 CA State Assembly
🔴 Republican Candidates for 2020 CA State Assembly
🔵 Democratic Candidates for 2020 CA State Senate
🔴 Republican Candidates for 2020 CA State Senate

Because SpeakEasy is a political agency for the left, we want to make sure that Dems in California have the opportunity to see what talking points the opposition (Republicans) are using on Twitter. By following the lists, you will be able to stay on top of the narrative that is being pushed by your opposition and how that message is being absorbed and responded to.

Using the lists above keep an eye out for your oppositions ratioed tweets because a ratioed tweet is a huge opportunity for candidates to grab some viral fame. A ratioed tweet occurs when the replies to a tweet outnumber the number of likes or retweets. The rule of thumb is if the replies to the retweet ratio is 2:1 the tweet was negatively received and presents an opportunity for you to counter with a hot take and wit.

Here is an example of Republican Senator Cory Gardner from Colorado getting ratioed in a tweet responding to the confirmation of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos:

It’s critical to understand though, that people communicate much differently online than they do in person. On digital platforms such as Twitter, there is less of a worry about the person who is on the other side of the screen. It is important to adjust talking points in order to keep up with users and how they communicate.

Twitter has become a tool for digital campaigns and with its 280 character limit, it is important for campaigns to create meaningful content that will attract an audience by sharing content that matches the platform in vocabulary, brevity, and syntax. To attract more traffic to your page, tweets should be impactful, powerful and resonate with users. The audience that you acquire on Twitter could potentially be voting for you and talking to their neighbors and friends on your behalf in the future.

Overall, we know these Twitter lists will help you successfully access your campaign’s social media tactics in a quick and efficient manner. The key to any successful campaign is to stay up to date with what is being said, especially digital messaging.

Follow us for more resources on how to elevate your online presence throughout your campaign, and make sure to download our digital playbook! SpeakEasy is here to help!

About the Authors

Anam Khan

2020 Intern

Anam Khan joined the SpeakEasy team as an Intern in 2019 and is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Political Science. Anam is focused on leveraging new media to elevate the voices of marginalized communities and influence inclusive policy. To see more of her work, connect with her on LinkedIn.

Sierra Barrow

2020 Intern

Sierra Barrow is an intern with SpeakEasy and a third-year student at the University of San Francisco. Sierra is pursuing a degree in Communication Studies and minors in Legal Studies and Sociology. She is focusing on the intersection of politics, social justice, civic engagement and digital media campaigns. Sierra will be attending law school after graduation & plans to continue work in political communications. You can see more of her work on LinkedIn.

Share this post

Political Direct Mail is Here to Stay

SpeakEasy Political May 24, 2023

Direct mail isn’t going anywhere yet. According to a recent report, the industry is continuing to grow year over year. And as more and more digital privacy laws take effect, some media experts are forecasting the rise of “old school” media tactics — such as direct mail — to reach

[May Edition] What We’re Reading: 2023 Digital Trends For Campaigns

SpeakEasy Political May 23, 2023

As digital best practices and media tools evolve, SpeakEasy is helping campaigns and causes stay up to speed with the latest landscape changes. Our media strategists are always looking for ways to bring the latest digital capabilities to Democratic campaigns across the Country — which is why we’re excited to

"Election Ahead" text written on a chalkboard background

School Board Elections: 2023 Campaign Resource Center

Isabella Jaye April 17, 2023

With thousands of school board seats up for election in 2023, candidates nationwide are running to help determine the future of education for their communities. The candidates, their teams, and the organizations that support them are coming together to communicate with voters about the impact school boards have on students, educators,

Use These Twitter Lists to Follow the California Election