COVID-19 has forced a lot of people to make changes to the way they handle their business and that’s no different for lawmakers looking to connect with their constituents.
State Representative Jack O’Malley has turned to Facebook to connect with his district at home. HE made the decision when COVID-19 hit and everything came to a halt.
“Things were changing so fast that I felt that I needed to explain to people,” says Rep. O’Malley, “So I was doing them every day seven days a week.”
Now he’s down to three nights a week. But he’s doing huge numbers, almost every video over 25,000 views and many near 50,000. One video has more than 400,000.
“I must’ve said something really good that day,” says O’Malley.
He usually shoots them at home, dressed down and trying to connect with Michiganders from his district and beyond.
“You can choose to agree or disagree, I’m not trying to convince anybody of anything,” says O’Malley, “But here’s what I think, here’s how I see it.”
Other lawmakers have noticed and asked O’Malley for tips but they don’t have his decades of work on radio and TV.
“You don’t want me trying your case in court, you don’t want me plowing your field, you don’t want me building your house and you don’t want me fixing your plumbing,” says O’Malley, “This legislature is made up of all sorts of people. I just happen to have the gift of gab and that’s what I did for a career.”
As for his political career, he feels the videos will continue, even if the state ends the fight with COVID.
“I would be dumb not to,” says O’Malley, “Of course.”
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