Gen Z’s Mayor: How TikTok Elected Mamdani
Edited by Alex Elstrodt, Thomas Baxter, Owen Andrews, and Sarah Ahmad
American political elections have become less about who has the strongest policy plans or who is best suited for the role and more about who is able to connect to their constituents by advertising themselves, not just their ideas. Today, candidates are not finding the same success in reaching voters through town hall meetings or even advertisements on cable television as they used to. They are instead establishing a connection to their voters through the TikTok “For You” page and Instagram collaborations. Gen Z has become an increasingly influential voting bloc that is not as easily swayed through traditional campaign strategies of mailers and rallies. The near overnight emergence of Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race provides clear evidence of such a shift. He utilized social media, especially TikTok, not just as a tool of outreach but as an innovative mechanism for electoral mobilization. Mamdani created a political language, becoming fluent in the dynamics of online conversations, catapulting himself to victory. His win reveals a deep shift in American politics. Candidates who understand the cultural logic and authenticity demanded by younger voters are positioned to dominate elections, while those who do not will face defeat.
For years, political strategists have debated the effectiveness of social media in electoral politics. On one side, some argue that platforms such as TikTok provide the forum to cheapen political discourse by diminishing complex issues to viral one-liners and trendy videos. On the other side, some insist that social media in fact democratizes political communication by empowering marginalized voices and bypassing the conventional barriers of political discourse.
Most campaigns have failed to resolve the tension between the two. They recycle their TV ads onto TikTok while continuing to maintain stiff and overproduced messages that treat the app as a free billboard for their ideas rather than a community in which they can break through the fourth wall and interact with their constituents. Meanwhile, as many Gen Z voters consume politics through influencer videos, short-form storytelling, and following trending memes, many candidates seem digitally illiterate when attempting to connect with this demographic. With the tremendous influence this generation has on elections, the present debate has shifted from being less about if politicians should use social media platforms and more about whether they grasp the nuances of how content thrives in this unique environment. Mamdani broke this pattern, and in turn, his campaign reaped the benefits of great success.
A former state assemblymember from Queens, Mamdani ran with a platform that centered around housing affordability, public transit investment, and climate resilience. Through each TikTok and Instagram post, he reflected these core goals, whether through explaining rent stabilization or joking about the city’s broken MTA. Zohran Mamdani reflected the rhythms of everyday New Yorkers, instilling the idea that he was one of them. This authenticity stood in sharp contrast to candidates Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, who both leaned into conventional advertising and institutional networks. Cuomo concentrated on televised speeches and donor-heavy events, while Sliwa depended on radio appearances and press conferences. Though the strategies of these two candidates were once tactics that dominated publicity, they are now disconnected from younger audiences. Mamdani was able to go beyond reaching these young voters and learned how to speak their language, making these traditional approaches look stale and less productive.
Mamdani’s victory was not simply the result of using TikTok but the result of using TikTok the right way. Rather than pursuing fleeting virality, Zohran Mamdani sought lasting connection with his supporters. His page was a meticulously formatted balance of him explaining policy proposals, participating in trends that represented him as a personality, and engaging in everyday New Yorker activities such as taking the subway and partaking in conversations with local New York business owners. He engaged in stitches and duets with young creators, allowing influencers, not his campaign, to frame his message to their peers.
This strategy worked by aligning with how these young voters process information. By rewarding rapid storytelling, humor, transparency, and emotional resonance, Gen Z voters found themselves attracted to the story of Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani created a sense of intimacy no advertisement could replicate by blending policy clarity with personal vulnerability. He shared his background and was willing to answer questions directly in the comments. Allowing the constituent voices to feel heard. Mamdani transformed his viewers into active participants. He reframed local politics into a culturally relevant setting in which younger voters had political ownership by letting them shape the narrative. Using tactics such as appearing at nightclubs on Halloween night, he created the feeling of a bond that extended outside of the classic political spheres of the city. Where traditional campaigns view voters as an audience, Mamdani treated them as collaborators. This shift in political communication propelled him ahead of better-funded and more established opponents.
Mamdani’s victory reveals that future candidates must rebuild their digital strategies from the ground up. They must invest in native content creators rather than consultants. These campaigns need a team that understands platform culture, not just those who can adjust a TV ad to fit a vertical screen. They also should treat TikTok as a dialogue rather than a bulletin board. This includes responding to comments, stitching videos, and allowing voters to guide content. Transparency should be embraced as a strategy. Mamdani showed his day-to-day work rather publishing only polished advertisements, and used what seemed to be unedited clips of conversations in which he demonstrated his authentic responses rather than scripted conversations. Young voters reward vulnerability while condemning unauthentic and superficial professionalism. Showing failures, frustrations, and behind-the-scenes moments builds credibility by becoming more human. Lastly, future candidates can integrate policy into everyday storytelling. Explaining complex issues through relatable daily life allows voters that are not as well-educated in politics to gain a sense of understanding without confusing infographics or jargon. Though these changes demand time and cultural competence, it is incredibly feasible by virtue of requiring fewer financial resources — campaigns must be willing to surrender control of their narrative to the people.
Mamdani’s TikTok-driven mayoral victory is not luck but a roadmap for how future campaigns can be run. Political power now depends on digital fluency as much as institutional support. TikTok is shaping more than just a campaign strategy; it is reshaping who gets to compete and win political races. As younger generations continue to redefine what an authentic leader looks like, candidates who fail to adapt to this system will find their political language falling on deaf ears. The future of American democracy may be decided on a phone screen, but only if candidates learn to speak the social media vernacular.