20 — Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
His house is a recreation of Kramer’s apartment from Seinfeld, which is kind of cool, even if he spells his name differently.
19 — Mike Crapo, R-Idaho
There is an attempt to depict a nuclear power plant on this island that is impressive — not convincing, but impressive. I’ve grown to appreciate these bold endeavors, even if they don’t quite work. It’s neat to see what people make with the limited tools available to them.
18 — Gary Peters, D-Mich.
Visitors universally call it a nice-looking island. I’m just a little weirded out by Senator Peters’ long-winded rants against supposed “cheaters” when he has had far better than average luck on the Stalk Market. It feels performative.
17 — Jack Reed, D-R.I.
Senator Reed has executed an effective medieval theme, which isn’t the easiest task in New Horizons. If you do end up visiting his island, make sure you address the senator as “Sir.” That armor he’s wearing is not just for show. He actually received a knighthood from Portugal and takes it really seriously. He’ll kick you out if you forget the honorific.
16 — James Lankford, R-Okla.
Senator Lankford used to be the president of a summer camp, and he recreates that charming aesthetic by using outdoor-themed props to good effect. Some guests have noted that the way he refers to the animal villagers as his “friends” made them a little uncomfortable.
15 — John Hickenlooper, D-Colo.
By all accounts, former mayor and governor John Hickenlooper maintains a well-organized island that’s pleasant to tour, even if it lacks excitement. The one weird thing is that there are three other player characters on the island who still live in tents, despite several bulletin board messages posted by Hickenlooper vowing to force them into houses.
14 — Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
This guy complained about every seasonal update, then used every single one of the new items. That makes him a hypocrite, sure, but it also means that his island has a lot of flair.
13 — Tim Scott, R-S.C.
The island appears to be a spot-on parody of a Florida retirement community, including a shuffleboard court and custom signs seemingly warning guests about red tide. Is it a subtle attack against Republican rival Ron Desantis? I’d like to visit and find out for myself!
12 — Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
Visitors say he refers to his island as a “program” and talks about all the different villagers he’s hosted. I guess he thinks he’s providing housing for them? In any case, he hasn’t skimped out on the project. There’s lots of parks and playgrounds with well-organized flowers of every variety.
11 — Ted Cruz, R-Texas
He put his house way too close to the airport, so his entrance is straight up garbage. The rest of the island, though, is supposed to be incredible. Visitors have called it one of the best horror-themed islands they’ve seen, with lots of believable gore. That’s hard to pull off, even with custom patterns!
10 — Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.
Senator Mullin only took office earlier this year, but his island has reportedly developed quickly. Suspiciously quickly. He had a fully upgraded house in almost no time and there are big-ticket items all over the place. How did he pay for all that? I’m just asking questions!
9 — Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va.
God, I hate to admit it, but his island is apparently really fucking cool. He’s got a really well-done houseboat theme going on with lots of custom patterns. I don’t care for the guy, but it’s clear that he’s spent a lot of time, effort, and bells on crafting his vision.
8 — Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
There’s weirdly little buzz about her island on the internet, but she put together a very sound little village. She just made a bunch of obviously correct decisions, and they all paid off. There’s a few oddly-placed Superman-themed custom patterns, but overall, this is a top-notch town.
7 — Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.
Senator Cortez Masto runs her island as a botanical garden that is open to the public at all times, barring software updates and server maintenance. Visitors say that it’s beautiful, but that the senator does kind of freak out if you water her flowers without asking.
6 — Mike Lee, R-Utah
I couldn’t find any testimonials about his island online, but I bet it’s a banger. Lee was first elected to the Senate in 2010 on a platform that included imposing a two-term limit on all members of Congress, then ran for a third term in 2022. Maybe he changed his mind out of convenience or cowardice — as he has regarding several other issues throughout his career — but my hunch is that he has spent too much time and effort on his island to give it up.
5 — Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
His island is reportedly anime as shit. Visitors say it looks like it belongs in an episode of Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s just a perfect blend of urban and traditional Japanese aesthetic, and it really does not rely on forced perspective or custom patterns. Senator Warnock just nailed it. I didn’t even know he was into anime.
4 — Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.
To be clear, Senator Ricketts is not the Resident Representative on this island. His father holds that position, with the younger Ricketts being a secondary account. Still, they’ve got a whole baseball field display filled with plenty of Cubs-themed custom patterns. I want to see it.
3 — Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii
A Buddhist who was born in Japan, Senator Hirono is the only senator who can use a good chunk of New Horizon’s decorations without it seeming like cultural appropriation. She doesn’t limit herself to that aesthetic, but it certainly lends a unique flair to her island!
2 — Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
This guy mods the Animal Crossing subreddit under an alt account and is one of the most prominent pattern creators in the entire scene. He redesigns his island seasonally, so I’m already bummed about all the stuff that I’ve missed.
1 — Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.
I don’t want to blow up her spot, but Senator Rosen used to be a computer programmer, and she hasn’t let those skills atrophy. Let’s just say her island is a bit more unique than the others on this list, wink wink. I know I’ve said that I’m a traditionalist, but come on. The game’s been out for three years. I want to see something new. If you know Senator Rosen’s Friend Code, please DM me.
