The second impeachment of Donald Trump kicked off this week with a cinematic presentation illustrating the violence at the Capitol on January 6 and arguing that Trump instigated the insurrection. The impeachment managers leading the prosecution have received a lot of attention—from lead manager Jamie Raskin’s impassioned speech to Virgin Islands Representative Stacey Plaskett quoting GZA—so we used social media analytics tool Social Blade to see how that surge in popularity has been reflected in their Twitter followings.
Here’s the breakdown, in order of most to least followers gained since the trial began on Tuesday.
Stacey Plaskett
U.S. Virgin Islands
New followers since Tuesday: 98,966
Total followers: 165,256
Popular tweet:
The Prosecution Rests its Case #ConvictAndDisqualify #ConvictAndDisqualifyTrump #ConvictTrumpSaveAmerica #ForThePeople pic.twitter.com/lE9GqMq0Pw
— Rep. Stacey Plaskett (@StaceyPlaskett) February 12, 2021
Joe Neguse
Colorado
New followers since Tuesday: 61,588
Total followers: 119,871
Popular tweet:
The evidence is clear, and it is overwhelming.
He assembled the mob, summoned the mob, and incited the mob.
He must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/v1kMLPw4b1
— Rep. Joe Neguse (@RepJoeNeguse) February 10, 2021
Jamie Raskin
Maryland
New followers since Tuesday: 49,743
Total followers: 195,125
Popular tweet:
Happy #LunarNewYear to all celebrating the Year of the Ox! Wishing everyone happiness, peace and good health in the New Year.
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) February 12, 2021
Ted Lieu
California
New followers since Tuesday: 7,295
Total followers: 1,583,754
Popular tweet:
We were ready on Tuesday. We were ready yesterday. We are ready today.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 11, 2021
Joaquin Castro
Texas
New followers since Tuesday: 5,944
Total followers: 266,159
Popular tweet:
Senators, you have seen the evidence.
On January 6th, President Trump left everyone in this Capitol for dead.pic.twitter.com/XYKV8PMkFn
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) February 11, 2021
Madeleine Dean
Pennsylvania
New followers since Tuesday: 5,722
Total followers: 54,940
Popular tweet:
"And so they came, draped in Trump’s flag – using the American flag to batter and to bludgeon. For the first time in more than 200 years the seat of our government was ransacked – on our watch." pic.twitter.com/8gXkg1U84q
— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@RepDean) February 10, 2021
Eric Swalwell
California
New followers since Tuesday: 5,494
Total followers: 1,036,889
Popular tweet:
As horrific as Jan. 6th was, we all know that awful day could have been even worse.
The only reason it was not was because of the extraordinary bravery of our law enforcement
May we do all we can to ensure this never happens again. pic.twitter.com/4HQrYvYSZe
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 10, 2021
David Cicilline
Rhode Island
New followers since Tuesday: 2,879
Total followers: 147,992
Popular tweet: Like Raskin, Cicilline hasn’t tweeted from his account very much, but he did have a viral moment in this video.
Rep. David Cicilline: "President Trump's process arguments are not only wrong on their own terms, but they're also completely irrelevant to the question on whether you should hold this trial. That question is answered by the Constitution. And the answer is yes." pic.twitter.com/LvZv9Gv7A6
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 9, 2021
Diana DeGette
Colorado
New followers since Tuesday: 2,267
Total followers: 63,617
Popular tweet:
None of us came to Congress to impeach a president, but all of us swore an oath to uphold the Constitution.
That’s what we’re doing today. pic.twitter.com/LhwlQf3tsL
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) February 9, 2021
Correction: An earlier version of this story examined Madeleine Dean’s personal Twitter account, not her official one; we have updated the post.
Rosa joined Washingtonian in 2016 after graduating from Mount Holyoke College. She covers arts and culture for the magazine. She’s written about anti-racism efforts at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, dinosaurs in the revamped fossil hall at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, and the horrors of taking a digital detox. When she can, she performs with her family’s Puerto Rican folkloric music ensemble based in Jersey City. She lives in Adams Morgan.
