North Carolina's most viral politician is exploding on TikTok

Driving the news: Now, as a Congressman, his success on TikTok is largely driven by how he shows up on the platform, which reporter Jake Lahut describes as "not exactly the stuff of viral TikTok gold."

• Jackson often wears t-shirts or casual button-downs as he speaks plainly about topics that would usually bore most people, like how committee assignments and getting a congressional office work.

That approach has worked: "Jackson is reaching audiences larger than the top-rated primetime cable shows and building a brand in a medium where he has far less competition," Lahut writes.

The intrigue: TikTok was banned from electronic devices managed by the House of Representatives, but Jackson keeps the app on a separate phone solely dedicated to receiving uploads from his Sony camera, per the Daily Beast.

What we're watching: Jackson's district is almost certain to change in 2024 under new Republican-drawn congressional maps. A major change could nudge Jackson to run for state attorney general or another statewide office instead.

• For now, it seems like his social media presence will only help with that.