Opinion: Those trying to shame George Santos won't have much luck. For the scandal-plagued congressman, it's more important to be noticed than liked, writes LeeTomson.
Rep. George Santos is part of a certain flavor of bombastic New York red wave politician, those who seek power with performative methods, writes the author. | Francis Chung/POLITICODanielle Lee Tomson, PhD, recently defended her doctorate in Communications at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. As a scholar and communications strategist, she specializes in the analysis of conservative social media influencers and affective politics. Find her on Twitter at @LeeTomson.
The congressman representing the “Great Gatsby” district of Long Island and Queens, N.Y. faked it till he made it. Much like the self-mythologizing Jay Gatsby, Rep.his education and work history but still achieved a version of the American Dream — getting elected to federal office.78 percent of his constituents want him out
. While the overt lying may subside, though, it’s unlikely Santos will willingly stop his rousing performance of “congressman.” Why not? Because Santos is getting exactly what he wants: attention. Like many of those in his generation, the 34-year-old millennial lawmaker has watched national recognition lead to power and influence. In an “attention economy” like the ones created by social media platforms, attention is the most valuable currency, over truth or morality — even money.
Santos’s Gatsby-esque victory did not come entirely as a surprise to me. He is part of a certain flavor of bombastic, birthplace of Donald Trump and originator of Madison Avenue advertising. If anything, its Republicans and their tabloid-style tales follow a peculiar local strain of political and cultural style that has inspired others.
My doctoral research on conservative media influencers features interviews with people like Santos’ new staffer Vish Burra, a Staten Island native who once worked with Steve Bannon on his podcast
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