AOC reaches 1 million followers on Bluesky
- Bluesky launched in February 2023, following Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.
- Ocasio-Cortez is the first to reach 1 million followers on Bluesky.
- The platform has seen a significant uptake among users but other politicians lag behind in followers.
In the context of the rapidly evolving social media landscape, the launch of Bluesky in February 2023 represented a significant shift, particularly following the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, which has since been rebranded to X. The new platform garnered considerable attention, amassing 360,000 downloads within the first two months. This early popularity set the stage for its exponential growth, ultimately reaching 20 million users by November. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood out in this competitive environment by becoming the first account on Bluesky to achieve the milestone of 1 million followers. She proudly announced this achievement via a post on X, where she maintains a follower count of nearly 13 million, indicating her strong online presence across multiple social media platforms. The unique opportunity provided by Bluesky allowed her to engage with supporters in a fresh and uncrowded space, reflecting her effective use of social media as a tool for outreach and communication. In stark contrast, other politicians have struggled to gain a significant foothold on Bluesky. Notably, Rep. Jasmine Crockett has garnered just over 187,000 followers, positioning her as the closest competitor to Ocasio-Cortez within the chamber. Similarly, Rep. Ilhan Omar has achieved more than 98,000 followers, while other notable figures lag far behind, with less than 50,000 followers for several members of Congress, indicating a pronounced discrepancy in engagement on the platform. Republican politicians, in particular, have seen even lower engagement numbers, with none reaching even the four-figure mark. House Speaker Mike Johnson holds the highest number among Republicans at over 500 followers, while several notable senators and representatives have fewer than 100 followers, showcasing the significant gap in traction on Bluesky compared to Ocasio-Cortez. The majority of lawmakers from both parties have yet to join the platform, suggesting either a serious hesitation to engage with new social media formats or a broader lack of understanding of the platform's potential for political communication and community building.