Rahm Emanuel vs. Karen Lewis: Analyzing Their Twitter Followers

How the Chicago mayor and his political nemesis stack up on social media

Last week we analyzed the demographics of those following Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican rival Bruce Rauner on Twitter. The results were fascinating. This Wednesday, we turn our attention from Illinois' gubernatorial showdown to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's upcoming re-election battle against ... Karen Lewis? The Chicago Teachers Union firebrand (and sworn Rahm enemy) is seriously considering a run for mayor, and her entry into the race could pose a major threat to Emanuel's chances of securing City Hall for a second term.

Earlier this month, a Chicago Tribune survey revealed that the Windy City boss' job approval rating had slid significantly and that Chicagoans would support Lewis over Emanuel if polling places were open today. The celebrity mayor and A-list power player managed to become an underdog for 2015, and with his political future at stake, one thing is for certain: He's not going down without a fight.

Ward Room asked StatSocial -- a company that analyzes social data -- to give us the scoop on who's reading tweets from @RahmEmanuel and @KarenLewisCTU. (View the infographics below.)

See the infographic for Rahm Emanuel:

See the infographic for Karen Lewis:

Here's how the archnemeses measure up in the Twitter-verse:

Gender: Both have more female than male followers. Lewis' follower count breaks down 65 to 35 percent with Emanuel attracting 60 to 40 percent.

Businesses: Slightly more commercial accounts follow business-friendly Emanuel. The mayor's follower count includes 5 percent businesses to Lewis' 4 percent.

Age: Emanuel bests Lewis in the 25-34 and 35-44 age brackets, while Lewis has more followers in the youngest bracket (18-24) and the oldest brackets (45-54 and 54-plus).

Income: Emanuel's followers make more money, with 15 percent commanding incomes in the $100K range compared with six percent of Lewis' followers. Lewis has more followers within the middle and lowest income ranges than does Emanuel, grabbing 46 percent in the $50-$100K segment and 48 percent $50K and below. Emanuel attracts 40 percent and 45 percent, respectively.

Favorite Celebrities: Emanuel followers Anderson Cooper, President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton. Lewis' like President Obama, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

Favorite Athletes: Emanuel followers like Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Kane, Chicago Bull Joakim Noah and Chicago Bear Matt Forte. Lewis' like Noah too as well as the legendary Magic Johnson.

Favorite Stores: Emanuel's followers shop at Whole Foods, Walgreens and Nordstrom. Lewis' prefer Whole Foods, Target and Walmart. 

Favorite Clothing Stores:

Favorite News Sites: Lewis' followers read HuffPo, Salon and Wikileaks. Emanuel's peruse HuffPo, The Daily Beast and BuzzFeed.

Favorite Magazines: Emanuel followers like The New Yorker, The Economist and The Atlantic. Lewis' embrace The New Yorker too as well as Mother Jones and The Nation.

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