In a bold move to energize California's diverse Hispanic electorate, former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra has launched a TikTok strategy that speaks directly in Spanish.
The California Democrat is betting on the app's soaring popularity among Hispanic adults—nearly half of whom use TikTok—compared with 39 percent of Black adults and 28 percent of white adults, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
The campaign will post exclusively in Spanish for now, aiming to lock in a key user base on a platform that many politicians are still exploring. Early engagement could translate into voter turnout when the race heats up.
The push comes as former President Trump, who once tried to ban TikTok under his administration, has since embraced the platform and amassed millions of followers. The White House even launched its official TikTok presence last month.
Becerra's TikTok tactic reflects a broader Democratic effort to stem a rightward swing seen last year in both red and blue states, where Trump improved his standing among Latino voters. With debates underway on making English the official US language, the Spanish-only approach marks a clear response.
As candidates vie for every edge in California's tight governor's race, Becerra's experiment shows how social media trends backed by data can shape modern campaigning.
Reference(s):
TikTok: A new way to reach voters in California's governor race
cgtn.com
