Twitter Primary, Update

Posted by Bill on Nov 28, 2009 in MeshBlog, Social Networking | 0 comments

In Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District Republican primary race, Robin Smith continues to lead in the Twitter Primary, while in second place, based on the number of people following him on Twitter, is Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble – whose lead over Chattanooga attorney Chuck Fleischmann is shrinking.

Another Republican candidate in the race is Cleveland, Tenn., businessman Art Rhodes. Don’t expect him to do much – in the race or with social media. He doesn’t get it, judging from this snippet in the above-linked Chattanooga Times-Free Press article:

Cleveland, Tenn., businessman Art Rhodes, a Republican, said he updates his Twitter account maybe once a week. He said President Barack Obama successfully used Twitter to bring crowds to events during his presidential campaign last year, but Mr. Rhodes doesn’t see the site as facilitating exchanges with supporters.

“It’s more one-way communication,” he said.

No you know why he has fewer then three dozen followers on Twitter – he is using it to talk to people, not to talk with people. Modern campaigns understand that in an era when social media enables conversation with supporters and with potential voters, people don’t want to just be talked to.

They want to be listened to, too.