Related Articles
Carly Fiorina had some bad news to share. So, the Republican presidential candidate turned to everyone’s favorite place to commiserate, Facebook.
Fiorina, the former CEO and chairman of Hewlett-Packard, suspended her bid for the White House on Wednesday after finishing seventh in the New Hampshire primary. She skipped a major morning TV news outlet to deliver the news, instead posting a statement to Facebook.
For good measure, she also tweeted it out.
“This campaign was always about citizenship — taking back our country from a political class that only serves the big, the powerful, the wealthy, and the well connected,” Fiorina wrote.
Fiorina’s exit wasn’t really a surprise, and neither was the platform for her announcement. Both GOP and Democratic candidates are actively using social media to reach potential voters and have dedicated staff manning their Twitter and Facebook pages.
The active use of Facebook and Twitter is part of the new political wisdom that winning on social media is part of winning at the ballot box. By that thinking, it’s no wonder Fiorina dropped out.
See also
- Donald Trump is an antisocial social media god
- Microsoft put to the test in Iowa caucuses
- Not ready for its close-up: Virtual reality makes presidential debate virtually unwatchable
As of the beginning of February, Fiorina wasn’t even close to cracking a million Twitter followers or Facebook likes. Republican front runner Donald Trump, by comparison, has more than 5 million Twitter followers and Facebook likes.
Fiorina was the only former technology executive in the race for the White House, but tales of her leadership at HP may have worried some voters and party leaders. Fiorina’s controversial decision in 2001 to merge with PC maker Compaq led to a rift with the company’s board and culminated in a messy ouster in 2005. In 2010, Fiorina made a failed bid for a US Senate seat in California against incumbent Barbara Boxer. Fiorina’s tenure at HP was heavily criticized during that race.
During her presidential run, Fiorina played up her time at HP and tried to connect with women voters by focusing on her ability to lead in male-dominated Silicon Valley.
“To young girls and women across the country, I say: do not let others define you,” she wrote in her parting note on Facebook. “Do not listen to anyone who says you have to vote a certain way or for a certain candidate because you’re a woman.”
Like much of her campaign, Fiorina’s exit was overshadowed by other candidates. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday also reportedly decided to drop out of the presidential race.
It appears only Ohio Gov. John Kasich had time to wish her farewell.
