2010 Election and Facebook

By: Kristin Rabas, Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations, Inc.

I have to admit (like most people are in their mid-20s) I’m probably not as politically savvy as I should be. However, one thing that helped me sort through the mess of political ads that constantly claimed this person was a liar and that person said this was social media.

It’s no surprise that candidates have embraced social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. When you think about it, what better way is there to interact with the masses, hear from everyday people about the types of things they want to see changed and respond to the dirt that is flung in the TV ads?

While reviewing some of the candidates Facebook pages, I found it interesting to see just how many people are actively commenting on posts and engaging in the topics that the candidates are talking about. This is especially true for Tom Barrett’s and Scott Walker’s Facebook pages.

In the last week, most of the posts focused on getting out there and actually voting. Earlier in the campaign season there were discussions about issues such as stem cell research, abortion and education. In many cases, the posts were backed up by actual articles showing each candidate’s beliefs, not just words of he said, she said.

Here are a couple of Facebook pages of Wisconsin candidates from this year’s election. Do you think these pages had an impact on the election’s outcome? What other ways might candidates leverage social media?

Tom Barrett:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/barrettforwisconsin

Scott Walker:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/scottwalkerforgovernor

Reid Ribble:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/reidribble

Steve Kagen:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/pages/Steve-Kagen/8032945425

Ron Johnson:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/ron4senate

Russ Feingold:
http://www.facebook.com/ron4senate#!/russfeingold