Democrats have taken to the F‑word on X with a frequency that now eclipses Republicans, a New York Times analysis shows. Since 2020, 12 lawmakers posted 23 instances in January 2026 alone, the peak month in the six‑year sample. The profanity usually targets President Trump and serves to signal anger and relatability to a frustrated base.

Among the swearers, Senator Ruben Gallego leads with at least 77 X posts containing the word, outpacing the next Democrat, Rep. Mark Pocan, who logged 30. Former Rep. Katie Porter and Mayor Jacob Frey have the expletive in rallies and conferences. Trend spills onto ads, as seen in Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s spot that repeats profanity to energize voters.

Campaign operatives argue the profanity signals authenticity, but it also risks alienating moderate voters and sponsors wary of brand safety. Advertisers have already pulled spots from posts featuring the word, and platform moderators flag several of the lawmakers’ X messages. The data suggests the rhetorical shock value is now a measurable trade‑off for Democratic outreach in today's hyper‑polarized media environment.