Populism is not a defined ideology, but instead a strategy for political outsiders to challenge the status quo. Previous literature asserts that populist candidates depend on rhetoric over action (Bonikowski 2016). This research addresses the gap between how a populist candidate’s performance and favorability with citizens is affected by using social media as one of the primary outlets for campaigning. Embracing social media can mobilize citizens against the established political order. I measured Trump’s favorability ratings, tracked the highest engagement of his tweets and rallies, and compared Trump’s Twitter followers to Hillary Clinton. Trump’s Twitter usage did not provide a distinct advantage over using rallies, but it did allow him to spread his message to more people and may explain the recent rise of populist leaders in countries across the world.
