#FeelTheBern

While Bernie Sanders may no longer really stand a chance to win the Democratic Party's nomination, his campaign has certainly set new records and made waves in process of the political system.

With a modest start to his campaign, no "Feel The Bern" t-shirts, buttons, or banners in sight, Sanders announced he was running to a handful of reporters, nobody really batting an eyelid at the senator's bid. However, a little over a year later, Bernie started packing auditoriums, drawing in crowds filled with younger voters and even celebrities such as Donald Glover, Mark Ruffalo, Rosario Dawson, and Danny Devito.

One of my favorite images from the Saner's campaign.

Sander's campaign helped to show that there was more than one candidate willing to fight for the Democratic party, helping to strengthen the argument for many issues that might not otherwise have been brought to light. With the utilization of Twitter, he helped to entice younger voters who might otherwise be apathetic to the voting cause. The trending hashtag helped to catch the eyes of millions and certainly helped to keep Bernie in the race far longer than anyone may have believed.

Social media has changed quite a bit for American politics. (And politics in general). For one, it provides direct contact with voters. Through Twitter, people have a chance to connect with potential candidate far better than they might have in the past with traditional letters. Politicians can also use social media to gauge public opinion on matters before fully committing to one side of an issue or another. Or they can alter their approach to the issue, helping to ensure that as many as possible support their cause. Social media also helps campaigns not as heavily supported monetarily, such as the Sanders campaign, by providing free advertising. Like mentioned above, because the hashtag #feelthebern trended so often and so frequently across various medias, millions more were clued in to the senator's campaign.

Regardless of the end results, there is no doubt that this campaign is one for the history books. I, for one, will be putting my Bernie bumper sticker in a scrapbook. For future races, who knows what social media sensation will be required in order to draw in voters. Maybe the candidate with the sickest video on Vine will win?

Image from a recent episode of the "Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon"