Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently the top tweeter with 1,609, 285 followers, relishing the ability to have direct communication with the people.
Thirty-two of the nation's 50 governors, including Bobby Jindal, Louisiana Republican and Jennifer Granholm, Michigan Democrat, are using Twitter to alert followers about anything from what was on their breakfast plate to the latest travel news. But more importantly, the social networking site is allowing them a greater deal of control over their own sound bites.
Tweeting, as part of the contemporary fabric of our growing obsession with celebrity, has become another source for delving deeper into the lives of public figures. Senior lecturer at the University of Washington, Kathy Gill who has studied Twitter since 2007 (speaking to USA Today) explained: "What a governor can do (with Twitter) is shed some light behind the curtain."
However, like any political message, the tweets of US governors are censored and aided by press secretaries and media relations specialists - though are directed by the governors themselves. This is pretty much par for the course, particularly when sensitive matters are likely to be included, Jennifer Granholm tweeted to her constituents that she'd signed legislation banning smoking in Michigan bars and restaurants.
Being able to raise awareness, not only of matters of importance but also of one's personal profile is central to any political success story. Twitter provides free advertising and communication, as well as a means of maintaining a strong digital reputation which is all important in this digital age.
The success of President Obama's election campaign, which employed online media, has persuaded campaign professionals that social media and networking sites have real potential in securing political victory. What remains to be seen, according to Charles Franklin, professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is whether Twitter alone can generate the kind of voter contact needed for a strong campaign, without the added bolster of online blogging and other web activity.
Gill does warn that for politicians, Twitter can be a "double-edged sword" as the temptation to 'over-share' can sneak in under the cover of letting your constituents-cum-followers see a bit more of the 'real you'. Ultimately, politicians, like the rest of us, must stay 'up-to-the-minute' if they are to continue securing votes - one wonders whether this might change the face of voting. Will the next presidential election be won by the number of followers or balloted votes?
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