The Brief: Gen Z-ers are sharing their love for Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and co-author of the Green New Deal by stanning him online with fan accounts, memes, TikToks, and more.

DEEP DIVE
Progressive members of Gen Z are using their social media prowess to push for the reelection of Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey via memes, TikToks, fancams, Twitter replies, and more.
Among Ed Markey’s most appealing qualities to young people are his policies on climate change. As Markey is the co-author of the Green New Deal along with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youth-led climate justice organization Sunrise has endorsed Markey and uses their Zoomer-centric online presence to encourage people to vote for Markey as well as to volunteer for and donate to his campaign. While Ed Markey may be 74-years-old, young people are showing the world how to them, progressive leaders and platforms are worth stanning as much as anyone or anything else.
Ed Markey Memes
Markey memes include jokes, jabs at his opponent Joe Kennedy, notes on Markey’s record of strong legislation, appreciation for his style, and other pro-Markey sentiments mixed with pop culture references. While the Markey campaign itself engages with meme culture online, most Markey meme content is fan-generated by people unaffiliated with the campaign.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CENU_8TALFz/
they’re voting by mail for ed markey
💌🐏 💌🦦 💌🦕
💌🐝 💌🦙
💌🦆 💌🐢 💌🕊
— kelly 🌱 (@halfmoonpoem) July 23, 2020
More Markey memes!!! Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/ffmNquh3sQ
— Cal The Reporter 🦀📷📰 (@CalTheReporter) July 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi just donated $5K to Joe Kennedy’s campaign.
Unlike Joe, @EdMarkey doesn’t have a rolodex of wealthy elites he can call. All he has is us—the essential people.
Let’s level the field. Chip in and post your screenshot. We’ll match donations up to $100.#GreenNewBills pic.twitter.com/5SnjghFEWa
— Rose Movement🌹 (@Rosemvmt) August 16, 2020
Into The Markeyverse
There are over 80 Ed Markey stan accounts on Twitter with specifications like “hot girls for markey” (@hotgirls4markey), Barbz for Ed (@barbz4ed), Theater Kids for Ed (@TheaterKids4Ed), a dog supporter (@edbarkey ), gingers for Markey (Gingers4Markey), and the fish-themed @QuabbinRes4Ed. Collectively, these stan accounts are known as the Markeyverse.
W- we
A- always listen to fleetwood mac as we
P- phone bank— fleetwood mac for markey (@fleetwoodmac4ed) August 25, 2020
These Markey Stans use tactics and meme styles similar to those of typical stan-Twitter to engage with audiences about their support for the senator, sharing meme, spamming their followers with pro-Markey content, and interacting with each other. The most popular account within the Markeyverse is @edsreplyguys on Twitter which describes itself as “guys, gals, & non-binary pals hyping up @edmarkey one tweet at a time.” Founded by Northeastern University student Emerson Toomey, this account uses the concept of over-eager reply guys to campaign for Markey online.
#EdMarkey On TikTok
Videos associated with the hashtag #EdMarkey have been viewed over 1.5 million times on the app. Made by enthusiastic Gen Z-ers, much of this content uses classic TikTok video styles to share why they support Senator Markey.
“[Joe Kennedy] has no lips…how will he get a kiss kiss?”
@dillontrinity massachusetts youth for markey lemme hear u make some NOISE #markey #politics #bospoli #boston #massachusetts #edmarkey #markeytok #antikennedyteens
This “nobody needs to know” Hamilton meme was posted by an account called @ed.markey.hype.house.
@ed.markey.hype.house everyone say thank u senator markey! #edmarkey #markeytok #markeyforsenate #markey2020 #mapoli #bospoli #kennedy #foryou #massachusetts #boston
@erim.noon Ed Markey is running to be the democratic nominee in the MA senate race and he needs your support!!! #edmarkey #edmarkeyforsenate #massachusetts #aoc
♬ trump sells like poo poo (Apashe – Sand Storm feat. Odalisk) – cowabunga_gals
Ed Markey’s own account on the app has over 10,000 followers. One of his most popular videos features him shooting hoops with a voiceover of him speaking about the Green New Deal.
@ed_markey green new deal with it