Zohran Mamdani’s Viral Campaign Copied By Politicians. Will it Work?

Just nine hours before the polls closed on Election Day in New York City, Zohran Mamdani walked into a crowded room full of dozens of NYC content creators and proceeded to answer a non-stop barrage of questions on everything from housing policy to childcare and LGBTQ rights. He deftly pivoted every question back to two topics: making New York City more affordable and encouraging people to get out and vote.

Mamdani has become inescapable online, in part because of the influencers in that room, many of whom surrounded him hours later at the campaign’s official victory party in Brooklyn. His social media-optimized videos have amassed tens of millions of views. Content creators amplifying his message have reached hundreds of millions across every fathomable platform. Mamdani’s unpre