Louisiana’s 74-year-old junior Senator, John Kennedy, has emerged as an unlikely social media sensation, captivating nearly 750,000 users with his unfiltered personality on TikTok. Despite his own skepticism, one recent video featuring his backyard garnered over 1 million views.
In the video, posted on June 17, Senator Kennedy looked into his phone’s selfie camera before flipping it to reveal his lush backyard oasis. He candidly stated, “This is another one of those silly videos my staff told me I needed to make,” adding, “I don’t know why on God’s green Earth anybody should care.” He then showcased his manicured lawn, moisturized by a sprinkler, and two patio umbrellas on an unstained deck, humorously warning viewers worldwide not to venture onto his grass to avoid “dog poo.”
Kennedy stands out as the most-followed Republican senator on TikTok, accumulating 4.8 million likes on the platform. He also boasts 1.3 million followers on Instagram, where his videos similarly achieve viral status. This widespread appeal is particularly notable given that Senate Republicans often avoid TikTok, a platform popular with Gen Z, which Kennedy and his colleagues once considered banning due to its ties to China. In contrast, Montana Senator Tim Sheehy has fewer than 300 followers and no videos, while Texas Senator Ted Cruz is approaching 24,000 followers. The nation’s most followed U.S. senator on TikTok is Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, with 1.7 million followers.
His internet fame stems from his candor and distinctive, often off-color humor. He has introduced followers to his elliptical trainer, Margaret, and his 9-year-old dog, Charlie, a muscular, sturdy, and compact part-Maltese, part-Terrier mix previously owned by a homeless person. Kennedy described Charlie as his “wireless doorbell” and noted that his memory sometimes returns, allowing him to walk three or four feet on his hind legs and beg, a trick taught by his previous owner. The introduction of Charlie alone amassed 235,000 likes on TikTok.
Kennedy’s memorable quotes, often from cable news appearances, have also contributed to his viral success. A November video montage showcasing his quick wit received 7 million TikTok views, with a similar post in July garnering 600,000. Some of his notable remarks include, “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 “I don’t know why we have to give money to countries that hate us; they should be able to hate us for free.” He also dramatically joked to Fox’s Martha MacCallum, “God, please give me patience because if you give me strength, I’m going to need bail money,” and once quipped about chicken salad being “better than sex,” before clarifying, “Not really, but you get the point.”
This social media stardom could significantly benefit the Louisiana lawmaker as he weighs a potential bid for the 2028 Republican presidential ticket, succeeding President Donald Trump. Trump himself leveraged social media, including his own platform Truth Social and previously X (formerly Twitter), to convey his thoughts. Both Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris utilized social media to engage younger voters in the 2024 election, with young men ultimately playing a role in Trump’s victory.
Debra Leiter, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, highlighted the long-term strategic value of this approach: “Political leaders who are thinking long term are really actually very smart to appeal to young voters, knowing that once you start as an 18- or 19- or 20-year-old voting for one party, you’re likely to do that for the rest of your life.”
Kennedy has quietly emerged as a potential White House contender. While he told Katie Pavlich on NewsNation that his focus remains on the midterms and his Senate reelection, he did not rule out a presidential run, referencing The Judds’ song, “Why Not Me?” and noting, “I’ve had some people talk to me about it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to do it.”
Experts suggest Kennedy’s online content resonates due to its authenticity. April Eichmeier, a professor of emerging media at the University of St. Thomas, noted that the “backyard folksy, you know, relatable, humorous John Kennedy” persona, which 30 years ago would have been confined to publications like Parade magazine, is now unfiltered and immediately accessible. She views his humorous videos as an “entry point” to his politics, hoping they “get people interested in what you have to say and hope that they look somewhere else.” Scott Dunn, a political communication professor at Radford University, added that social media enables politicians like Kennedy to forge “parasocial relationships” with followers, creating a sense of one-sided intimacy.
Beyond his viral videos, 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 on comedian Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend” about any relation to the famous Democratic Kennedy family, he responded, “If I am, I’m the poor side of the family.”
Kennedy’s political journey includes serving five terms as Louisiana’s state treasurer, first elected in 1999. He switched from the Democratic Party to Republican in August 2007, a year before Barack Obama’s presidential victory. After two unsuccessful Senate bids, he won his seat in 2016, the same year Trump was elected. He was reelected in 2022, securing victory by nearly 45 percentage points over his main Democratic opponent. Senator Kennedy’s office did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment regarding his social media popularity.
Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.