Social Media Didn’t Create Mamdani - It Amplified Him

In an era dominated by social media, where attention spans are measured in seconds, Zohran Mamdani has mastered the art of capturing and sustaining viewer engagement through short-form videos. Paired with deliberately simple messaging, such as fast and free buses, free childcare, and rent freezes in rent-stabilised apartments. Mamdani’s campaign reached everyday New Yorkers who have long felt unseen by traditional electoral politics, helping him build support in one of the world’s most multicultural cities.  

So how did Mamdani’s campaign move from near obscurity to leading the polls? When the Emerson College pooling survey in early February placed Mamdani at just one per cent support, it was clear that victory could not be achieved by persuading the existing voters alone. Instead, the campaign focused on registering new voters.

Mamdani’s online presence, including his jeering and often humorous jabs at opponent Andrew Cuomo, quickly became a source of viral attention on multiple social media platforms, especially TikTok. While these moments functioned as political memes, his broader success online was driven by his own sustained content strategy. Videos documenting his policies and visits across New York City’s five boroughs and engaging in unscripted conversations regularly attracted hundreds of thousands to millions of views.

This steady stream of authentic, person-centred content allowed Mamdani to maintain visibility beyond isolated viral moments, with platform algorithms continuing to amplify his reach as engagement grew. As a result, his social media momentum was translated into tangible political engagement offline. In the fourteen days leading up to the Democratic primary registration deadline, approximately 37,000 people registered to vote, compared to just 3,000 during the same period in 2021, according to The New York Times.

This surge in voter registration is consistent with existing research, which finds that social media use is positively associated with both political participation and voting behaviour (Chan & Yi, 2024).

Critics have sought to downplay Mamdani’s success by suggesting it was driven primarily by social media strategy rather than by his qualifications, experience or policy competence. However, this view underestimates the interplay of other factors in his campaign. Many politicians now rely on social media to communicate directly with constituents. Donald Trump’s rise to the presidency similarly demonstrated how digital platforms can accelerate political momentum. 

Mamdani’s success lies in his central message concerning the issue most relevant to voters: the rising cost of living. However, his key opponent, Andrew Cuomo, focused heavily on the significant issue of crime which did not resonate as strongly with middle-class New Yorkers struggling with housing, transport and childcare costs. Mamdani addressed these concerns directly with an optimistic attitude and public persona.  

Cuomo’s campaign, bolstered by millions of dollars in donations from wealthy individuals and corporations, risked reinforcing perceptions of detachment. For some voters, this funding structure appeared inauthentic and contributed to a class-based narrative of “us versus the wealthy elite”. Mamdani’s campaign, in contrast, was funded entirely through small donations from ordinary New Yorkers. Many voters came to see his campaign as their own and his success as a collective achievement.  

Just as New York is shaped by its immigrant communities, Australia is also defined by a highly diverse population. Of Australia’s 27.2 million people, approximately 8.6 million were born overseas, meaning around 31.6 per cent of the population is foreign-born. As more migrants gain the right to vote, Australia’s political discourse will increasingly need to account for their expectations, lived experiences and priorities.

At the same time, structural economic pressures are reshaping political attitudes. The number of renters continues to rise, with growing reliance on rental accommodation among working-age Australians. Combined with persistent cost-of-living pressures, this shift has contributed to rising frustration around economic security.

A similar dynamic to that seen in New York is beginning to emerge in Australia. While not always articulated explicitly, there is a growing appetite for political leadership that reflects the qualities associated with Mamdani’s rise: authenticity, compassion and a clear, visible connection to constituents. Should a leader embodying these traits emerge, they would likely attract significant public support.

That said, Australia’s political and social context differs in important ways from that of New York. With universal healthcare and established social security safety nets already in place, the level of systemic frustration experienced in Australia is unlikely to mirror that of the United States exactly. Nonetheless, the underlying desire for trustworthy, people-centred leadership remains strong and continues to resonate with voters across Australia.