10 Influencers Shaping the Political Zeitgeist in 2026 — in Michigan and Beyond
From TikTok to the statehouse, these creators and leaders are making queer politics shareable, powerful and impossible to ignore
Michigan’s LGBTQ+ political power isn’t just in the capitol — it’s on TikTok, Instagram, podcasts and viral press conference moments. In 2026, influence looks like perfectly timed clapbacks, creators who make policy shareable and leaders who understand queer internet culture as well as they understand governance.
These 10 political influencers are shaping the zeitgeist in Michigan and beyond, commanding attention online while driving real-world change. If you want to know where queer political power is headed next, start here.
1. Julia Pickett, Gov. Whitmer's Digital Director and Social Media Powerhouse
If you follow Michigan politics online, you're following Julia Pickett whether you know it or not. As Gov. Whitmer's digital director, Pickett has turned the governor's social media into appointment viewing. She orchestrated Whitmer's legendary June 2025 appearance on the “Gaydar” show (where Whitmer proved her queer history bona fides), created the viral "Governor Barbie" content that won a 2024 Webby Award and styled Whitmer's pronoun jacket moment at Motor City Pride 2023. Behind every perfectly timed TikTok, every "Big Gretch" moment, every viral political clapback, there's Pickett pulling the strings and making Michigan's governor the coolest politician on the internet.
2. Dana Nessel, Attorney General with the Sassiest Twitter Fingers
Attorney General Dana Nessel doesn't just prosecute cases — she prosecutes straight people on Twitter. The lesbian A.G. who helped win marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges back in 2015 now spends her days defending Michigan's expanded Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, tracking federal attacks on LGBTQ+ rights through her Federal Actions Tracker (launched June 2025) and serving absolute fire on social media. She co-hosts the "Pantsuits and Lawsuits" podcast where she dishes about politics and law in an approachable way. When she's not in court defending queer rights, she's online reminding everyone why Michigan elected the first out lesbian A.G. in the country.
3. Anania Williams and the ‘Gaydar’ Show, Teaching Queer History Through Viral Comedy
Trans and gender nonconforming content creator and drag queen Anania Williams (@anania00) hosts "Gaydar" on TikTok to 600K followers — it’s the viral show that asks guests "Gay, straight or homophobe?" while sneaking in actual queer history education. When Gov. Whitmer appeared on the show in June 2025, it became one of the governor's most-watched social media moments — proving that Anania has figured out how to make civics class actually fun. The show has racked up over 80 million views by packaging LGBTQ+ knowledge into bite-sized, shareable content that's teaching a generation their queer history through comedy and celebrity interviews, and Anania herself boasts 2.4 million followers on the platform — her personal account is worth the bandwidth too. tiktok.com/@gaydar.show
4. Jeremy Moss, State Senator Turned Viral Sensation
State Sen. Jeremy Moss is running for Congress in Michigan's 11th District in 2026, and if his campaign is anything like his viral moments, it's going to be a show. The President Pro Tempore of the Michigan Senate made headlines in February 2025 when he dominated a Republican press conference with a perfectly timed interruption that went absolutely viral. Since being elected in 2018, Moss has combined serious legislative work with the kind of social media presence that makes C-SPAN watchable. He's proof that you can pass actual laws expanding LGBTQ+ rights while also being incredibly online — and he's bringing that energy to Congress. @jeremyallenmoss
5. Pete Buttigieg, TikTok's Favorite Political Daddy
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg relocated to Traverse City in July 2022 with husband Chasten and their kids, and Michigan has claimed him ever since. With 1.4 million TikTok followers (he joined in August 2024), Mayor Pete pivoted from fixing America's infrastructure to being infrastructure daddy on the internet. He announced in March 2025 that he won't run for Michigan Senate or governor in 2026, which disappointed everyone who wanted more Buttigieg content dominating Michigan politics. But with his TikTok presence, he's influencing the discourse anyway — just from his living room in Traverse City. @pete.buttigieg
6. Josh Helfgott, TikTok's Gay News Anchor
With 5.9 million TikTok followers, activist Josh Helfgott's "Gay News" has become essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand what's happening in LGBTQ+ America. The GLAAD award winner delivers rapid-fire news updates with impeccable comedic timing, using fast-paced quick cuts and the kind of internet-native editing that makes complex political stories instantly digestible. A recent example: his coverage of Renee Good, the lesbian woman shot and killed by an ICE agent, intercuts Jesse Watters' incredibly homophobic Fox News report with his own astonished quick-cut reactions to create a sharp, media-literate approach to advocacy. It's all driven by a deeply personal mission. "I make videos for 13 year old me. To show him he is loved and he is not alone. Because no LGBTQ+ child should ever have to experience a childhood like I did," he explains on his page.
7. Kris and Dave Hutton, Instagram's Army Veteran Power Couple
Army veteran couple Kris and Dave Hutton have turned their historic Detroit home restoration project into an unexpected Instagram phenomenon, with @kris.and.dave amassing over 1.5 million followers through fearless LGBTQ+ advocacy. When a man at a neighborhood home and garden tour demanded they remove their Pride flag for religious reasons, Kris' response — "Sir, that's not going to happen" — launched them into viral fame overnight. Now the straight allies screenshot hateful comments, block the trolls and turn their bigotry into teaching moments, always ending with Kris' signature Southern-drawled mic drop: "You go on and you have the day you deserve now." Their elaborate annual Pride arbor has become a Detroit landmark, and last year's message felt particularly resonant: "The first Pride was a riot."
"The way my voice sounds, the way we look, Dave’s big-ass truck, I think we probably look like we might not be allies," Kris told Pride Source in June 2025. "We might present as people who are close-minded. And I think when people find out we aren’t, what I hope is that it empowers them to be more vocal in their support as well and lets them know that there are a lot more allies out there." @kris.and.dave
8. Jon Kung, Detroit's Thirst Trap Chef Who Talks Politics
Detroit chef Jon Kung pivoted from law school at University of Detroit Mercy to TikTok stardom, and now his 1.7 million followers tune in for cooking tutorials, thirst traps and surprisingly pointed political commentary. The nonbinary chef behind the cookbook "Kung Food" has built a following by being authentically queer while teaching people how to make dumplings. He's vocal about politics and represents the kind of LGBTQ+ influencer who doesn't separate their identity from their craft — he's just out there being gay, cooking and looking good while doing it. @jonkung
9. Erin Reed, The Trans Journalist Everyone's Reading
Trans journalist Erin Reed has become required reading for anyone tracking LGBTQ+ rights in America. Her newsletter "Erin in the Morning" has over 130,000 subscribers, won a 2024 GLAAD Media Award and often gets cited by the AP, New York Times and Washington Post. She created the viral informed consent HRT clinic map that's been viewed 8 million times, tracks every piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation nationwide and is married to Montana State Rep. Zooey Zephyr (they got engaged at a gay prom, naturally). While based in Maryland, her exhaustive coverage of Michigan's legislative battles makes her essential reading for understanding what's happening here. erininthemorning.com
10. Stand With Trans, TikTok's Trans Rights Rapid Response
Founded in 2015 by Roz Keith and frequently fronted by communications director Sander Jennings, Stand With Trans exploded on TikTok in January 2025 after Trump's executive orders targeting trans rights. Their platform has become the go-to source for trans people and allies looking for immediate, actionable information on what's happening and what to do about it. They've mastered the art of turning complex policy into digestible TikTok content that actually helps people — making trans rights education accessible to millions who might never read a policy brief. tiktok.com/@standwithtrans
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