Rep. Allen West (R-FL) currently has over 190,000 Facebook fans and 83,000
Twitter followers, a solid social media following that puts him ahead of many other members of Congress, according to OhMyGov's media power
rankings today.
The Florida Republican rose to the
#5 spot, just short of Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who’s also running
for the highly contested Wisconsin Senate seat of retiring Democrat Sen. Herb Kohl.
West's rise in the rankings can be attributed to the media and public's
fascination with his highly quotable and sometimes controversial statements, such as his recent comments on topics ranging from Chick-Fil-A to communism.
Despite West's bombast and checkered past, the
Congressman still has a cadre of supporters, including a legion of Twitter followers
promoting his cause online. One post which has been frequently retweeted
reads: 'This man is a prime example of the American success story. Oh, and he
has guts'.
Not shy of using emerging technology, West has also made an effort to capitalize on the growing
power of apps. An Allen West Facebook app
allows users to place 'yard signs' on their Facebook wall, and a separate Allen
West bumper
sticker app does much the same thing. An Allen
West for President Facebook page has gotten over 9,000 likes -- to say
nothing of Allen West
Republic.
Yet perhaps the greatest example of West's popularity is the
ability of his followers to rally around him, despite the slings and arrows his
detractors fire at him.
"Don't be discouraged
with extreme left attacks on you," @66mms29
tweeted Aug. 16. "People do like u a lot."