The House candidate Nextdoor

Virginia's candidates for House try novel social media tactics to break through in tight races

The Instagram feed for Jessica Anderson, a Democratic candidate running for Virginia’s 71st district in the House of Delegates. (Screenshot by Kaylie Klausing/24sight News.)

Candidates running for the Virginia House of Delegates are taking a novel approach as they attempt to reach voters directly, even relying on the platform Nextdoor.

Jessica Anderson, a mother, part-time public school employee and Democrat, is running for the competitive House District 71 seat, which stretches from outside Richmond down to Williamsburg.

She’s making her second run against incumbent Republican Amanda Batten, who she lost to in 2023, 51-49%. Since then, Anderson has continued to grow her social media presence and create content relating to local issues, national news, and this year's races. 

"I'm on Nextdoor. I'm having engaging conversations about issues that get brought up on that platform with people that are voting in my district," the candidate told 24sight News. "I'm very civil, and there are people that obviously don't always agree with me, but I go back and forth. I do the same thing on a variety of Facebook group chats that I'm in."

Nextdoor is a social networking app designed for connecting neighbors and discussing local issues.

But Anderson has used the app to reach older voters who may not be active on traditional social media platforms and to have discussions directly with her neighbors, even those who don't always agree with her.

In addition to fostering valuable conversations surrounding local issues, Anderson said her presence on Nextdoor creates a sense of personal connection with her district's citizens.

She has found that when people reach out to her through direct message with questions, they are often surprised that they are speaking directly to the candidate.

"I'm engaging, even in commentary, in a way that I think really benefits me. I had people last cycle that I was having back and forth with, again, that did not agree with me, but some of them would be like, 'look, I don't agree with you, but I'm pretty impressed that you're taking the time to speak with me,'" said Anderson. 

Anderson's TikTok account has amassed more than 600,000 followers and over 30 million collective likes. While the short-form video app has been threatened by lawmakers, she has shifted towards growing her Instagram following, which has almost as many followers as there are registered voters in her district.

"There's an element that people can feel like politicians are kind of out of touch, so when people can be able to literally reach out to you and touch you on social media, I think that adds something to you as a candidate that you can't really create in any other world outside social media," she told 24sight News. 

To Anderson, authenticity is a crucial aspect of a politician's social media presence. She uses her voice on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and Threads to have back and forth interactions with voters about issues within their district and even to discuss national news.

Social media has been a powerful way for Anderson to reach voters, raise a large amount of small-dollar donations that have helped fund her campaigns, and inspire others to run for office. However, the nature of social media means that it is not always reliable.

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"The algorithm is not always kind, and as someone who's used social media to try to raise funds, to try to bring awareness to topics and issues in my election, you're at the whim of the algorithm. You have to learn when to post and what's the best length of video and what is going to get me the most engagement," Anderson explained. "There is an element of unknown with social media that does mean you have to still lean into some of those old school ways to campaign."

Miles Coleman is the associate editor for the University of Virginia's Center for Politics column, "Sabato's Crystal Ball", written by political scientist Larry Sabato. He shared with 24sight News that as a Virginia resident and political analyst, he finds it helpful to keep up with delegates on social media, especially those who continue to prioritize local issues.

"There are a lot of delegates who are still focused, rightfully so, on the bread and butter work of being a delegate," Coleman explained, adding that he enjoys updates from his delegate, who shares the neighborhood tasks she works on as small as inspecting potholes on local streets. 

2024's presidential election saw cell phones become the primary source of information for voters, accompanied by a rise in misinformation. As the definition of "truth" online continues to waver, it has become normalized for voters to receive news personally catered to their beliefs and online interactions. 

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"I think these past few election cycles have proved that one of the biggest influences in elections these days, especially with younger voters, is where you get your news from," Coleman told 24sight News.

On the local level, social media can be a quick way for delegates to share updates with their constituents in a more palatable style than lengthy, jargon-filled legislation. Michael Feggans is a Democratic Delegate who has served Hampton Roads since 2023 and believes that it has strengthened his connection to his district.

"For my campaign, it was one of the most important ways that we communicated with voters," Feggans told 24sight News. "We are constantly providing updates, creating videos, creating original content in-house to be able to talk to our voters about what's happening, what are our beliefs, what are the bills that we're currently passing."

Feggans shares election updates, community events, and legislative wins across his Instagram, Facebook, and X accounts. Like Anderson, he feels that authenticity is the best way to build connections through social media.

"Right now, what voters are yearning for is authentic voices. There's nothing more authentic than you grabbing your phone or your camera and speaking directly to your voters and saying what's going on in your heart, what's going on in your mind, what's going on in the community," said Feggans.

Even as the internet's influence continues to grow, it is still outweighed by genuine, face-to-face interactions between candidates and voters.

“Social media is a great tool,” Feggans said. “But there is nothing that beats knocking on a person's door, looking them in the eye, and telling them, 'I'm here to earn your vote.'"