Bernie Sanders Facebook page screen grab December 6, 2016

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) surpassed 5 million "likes" on his Senate Facebook page Tuesday. The enormous grassroots following is greater than any other member of Congress, according to Facebook data. It comes on the heels of his massive following during his presidential campaign, where he led all candidates in individual contributions.

"I want to thank the 5 million people who have been joining us for serious discussions about some of the most important issues facing our country," Sanders said. "Facebook, Twitter and other social media allow us to talk about important issues that corporate media often ignore. Social media is a vitally important tool to bring Americans together to learn from each other and help develop policies that work for all Americans, and not just the 1 percent."

A leader in social media innovation, the first big jump in Sanders’ Facebook presence came in 2010 during an 8 ½ hour Senate floor speech against extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. The election of President-elect Donald Trump also drove people to Sanders’ Facebook page. More than 100,000 people started following Sanders’ Senate Facebook page in the 24 hours after Election Day. Since Nov. 8, the page has added more than 600,000 followers, an increase of more than 14 percent.

Source: WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 – Sen. Bernie Sanders