Spheres of Hillfluence: Healthcare gains ground as immigration wanes in Q3

Welcome to Penta's "Spheres of Hillfluence" report, a quarterly summation of who is influencing policymakers in Washington D.C., which topics are receiving the most attention, as well as an analysis on partisan divides as it relates to social media. Below is an analysis of Twitter/X data from the official and personal accounts of all Members of Congress from Q3 2025. You can find last quarter's iteration of the Spheres of Hillfluence here.

Which issues are top-of-mind?

Focusing in...

• Immigration and healthcare remain the top issues for both parties within Congress, respectively, for Q3 2025. 
  • By the Numbers: Republicans tweeted about immigration 1,718 times or 160% more than Democrats, while Democrats tweeted on healthcare 3,493 times, 228% more than Republicans.
• Since Q2 2025, Democrats’ posts have declined across all major issues, with the greatest drop in tariffs and crypto, which already were significantly lower than other issues. Republicans' posts on tariffs and healthcare also declined notably, though immigration saw the smallest decrease. Posts on AI and crypto increased among Republicans.
  • By the Numbers: Even with drops, Democrats tweeted about tariffs 367% more than Republicans. 
• Crypto and AI remain the least discussed issues for both parties, with Republicans tweeting about them 173 and 163 times more than Democrats, respectively.
  • By the Numbers: Crypto was the least issue covered by both parties, 18% less than the next lowest issue for Republicans (AI) and 36% less with the next lowest issues with Democrats (AI). 

The Takeaways

Immigration remains the key issue among Republicans

Immigration has remained a consistent focus for Congressional Republicans on social media. Common themes in their posts include tightening border enforcement for national security, advocating anti-illegal immigration policies, and reinforcing the “America First" narrative that links patriotism with stronger immigration control. Discussion on this topic peaked towards the end of April 2025 following the Supreme Court’s ruling that blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to use the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport large numbers of immigrants from North Texas.

In late June 2025, GOP Congressional members also honed in on healthcare and Medicaid through social media. Common themes included protecting seniors and making healthcare more affordable. This surge coincided with news on the One Big Beautiful Bill (H.R.1) and its passage through the House and Senate.

Republicans' focus on immigration has gradually lessened on social media

Since Q1 2025, Republicans’ social media posts about immigration have declined each quarter, suggesting a gradual drop in emphasis, though the issue remains a core focus for the party. The 49% drop from Q2 to Q3 2025 may be associated with the drastic decline in migrant encounters along the Southwest border, as reported by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Healthcare remains a leading issue for Democrats

Healthcare remained a top priority for Democrat members of Congress. During the passage of GOP legislation that decreased funding for programs (e.g., Medicaid and Medicare), Democrats’ posts centered on the need for expanded access to Medicaid and Medicare, as well as promoting affordability and equity in healthcare. However, between Q2 and Q3 2025, mentions of healthcare in Democrats’ social media posts fell by 24%, with Medicare and Medicaid mentions declining in late May 2025. From the heights in May, Democrats' posting on healthcare decreased, but remained a consistent and central theme of their messaging on social media.

From Q1 to Q3 2025, Democrats have consistently posted twice as much on healthcare compared to Republicans. As healthcare continues to be a central issue for the American people and policymakers, according to Penta’s Washington Policy Brand Research, Democrats have focused on the dual issues of healthcare and affordability in messaging to their constituents. 

Democrats’ recent social media presence and shutdown discussions have indicated that healthcare is going to lag, at least in the foreseeable future. 

Who Influences Congress?

Please note that the "influencer score" referenced below as "Score," examines the Twitter/X activity of relevant stakeholders to identify and map key individuals who influence a target group. This score is a composite metric that measures engagement with a target account's posts, factoring in original mentions, reposts, quote posts, and replies. 

Focusing in...

• Republican influence continues to be driven by Donald Trump, Trump-aligned figures like Elon Musk, and conservative media outlets such as Fox News.
• For Democrats, engagement is driven largely by left-leaning media outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as advocacy groups and liberal voices such as Call to Activism and Acyn. While not at the same influence level as established institutions, the rise in influence of Zohran Mamdani, the mayor elect of New York City, and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a voice on immigration policy, suggest that newer voices are taking hold with Democrat members of Congress. 

Platform Spotlight: BlueSky gaining momentum among Democrats

Members of Congress from both parties primarily use Twitter/X, but Democrats are adopting Bluesky for communication, though it is not fully replacing their Twitter/X accounts. Notable users include Sen. Cory Booker, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Among Democrats, Rep. Jeffries, Sen. Booker, and Rep. LaMonica McIver had the highest influence on Bluesky. These trends reflect a slight shift Democrats’ shift toward alternative platforms as Twitter/X becomes increasingly polarized on both sides of the aisle.