Latest news with #Harris'
New York Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
‘No one' excited about Kamala Harris' potential gubernatorial run, say California donors
Former Vice President Kamala Harris' prospective gubernatorial bid is not striking up much excitement among Democratic fundraisers in California, Politico reported Friday. The outlet spoke to multiple Democratic Party donors in California to see how they felt about Harris possibly running for governor. So far, her interest in exploring a gubernatorial run in the state following her 2024 presidential election loss hasn't enthused many. Advertisement 'She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped,' one Southern California fundraiser told Politico. Harris, who lost November's election to President Donald Trump, is seriously considering a 2026 bid to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif. A source close to Harris told Fox News Digital in March that she has told allies she will decide by the end of summer on whether to launch a gubernatorial campaign. The two potential options for Harris are launching a gubernatorial run next year in her home state or seeking the presidency again in 2028. Extremely early polls in the next Democratic Party presidential nomination race — which are heavily reliant on name recognition at this point — indicate that the former vice president holds a significant lead over other potential White House contenders. 3 AP Advertisement 'In interviews, several major donors in the state told POLITICO they fear her reemergence as a candidate would re-open still-fresh wounds from her defeat in 2024,' the outlet reported. 'Some harbor lingering frustration about how her billion-dollar campaign juggernaut ended in debt and want assurances she would have a clear plan to win the governor's mansion.' Mather Martin, a party fundraiser from San Francisco who worked for multiple Harris campaigns, told Politico, 'There was more enthusiasm at first' for Harris' run. However, he added, 'I think it waned a bit.' Another donor who gave a six-figure donation to Harris' presidential campaign last year told the outlet they had found the implosion of her White House bid 'traumatizing' and seemed reluctant to support her in the state. 3 REUTERS Advertisement 'Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete s— storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled… I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too. I've written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we're living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I'm furious at them, truly.' The donor who declared that 'no one is incredibly pumped' about Harris' run also shared that donors 'realize it's just going to bring up the whole pathetic last presidential, which no one wants to hear about again. And then it's the whole 'Did you know Joe Biden?' thing.' Scott Drexel, a donor-adviser based in the San Francisco Bay Area, noted, 'It's very fair to say there's not an overwhelming clamor' for Harris' gubernatorial run. 3 Gado via Getty Images Advertisement He also pointed out, 'It's very hard for there to be one if it's not 100 percent clear if she really wants to do it.' 'She's going to have to work for the nomination. Every day that passes, there's less of a sense of inevitability about her candidacy,' Drexel said. Democratic donor and San Francisco trial lawyer Joe Cotchett told Politico, 'She is talking to people around the state about whether she is going to run. If she does, she's going to have very difficult problems.' Harris' team did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Politico
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Kamala Harris' enthusiasm problem
Presented by ELECTION HANGOVER — Many Democratic Party funders who boosted Kamala Harris last year are expressing a lack of enthusiasm about her possible return to the campaign trail, wary of the baggage a failed presidential candidate would bring if she runs for California governor, our Melanie Mason and Jeremy B. White report this morning. Even Harris' supporters have sensed the mood swings. 'There was more enthusiasm at first,' said Mather Martin, a San Francisco-based fundraiser who has worked for past Harris campaigns. 'I think it waned a bit.' Fallout from 2024 … One California Democrat who contributed six-figures to her presidential bid said a Harris candidacy would only serve as a reminder of how 'traumatizing' the last election was. 'Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete shit storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled … I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too,' the donor said. 'I've written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we're living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I'm furious at them, truly.' The apathy is one of several obstacles that Harris must hurdle if she runs for governor — an option that has of late demanded more of her attention as she races against a self-imposed, end-of-summer deadline to make a decision. What she knew when … Another likely barrier is former President Joe Biden's cognitive condition. Some stalwart donors, Melanie and Jeremy write, 'said they feel misled about Biden's physical and mental acuity. They wonder whether Harris helped bolster his compromised candidacy until it became glaringly obvious in his disastrous debate he was not up for another campaign.' Donors 'realize it's just going to bring up the whole pathetic last presidential, which no one wants to hear about again. And then it's the whole 'Did you know Joe Biden?' thing,' said one Southern California fundraiser who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations. 'She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped.' Drawing from New York … Democratic voters elsewhere have offered recent if not totally conclusive signals that they're hungry for generational change. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who just won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, has spurred some self-reflection within the party. (Even if his more seasoned opponent, Andrew Cuomo, carried a very different form of baggage from Harris — a sexual harassment scandal and coronavirus mismanagement allegations.) But but but … Harris would still be the immediate front-runner in a California gubernatorial race, whether major donors like it or not. She'd have by far the best name ID, a massive small-dollar donor list and the benefit of Democratic competitors dropping out. And those in Harris' inner circle say she is not dissuaded by the challenges awaiting the next governor, which would include projected budget deficits and a stubborn homelessness crisis. Instead, Harris' inquiries have largely been focused on what kind of impact she could have in the role. Drawn out decision-making … Harris has adopted a characteristically careful, deliberative approach as she mulls her next steps. She has embarked on a kind of private listening tour, catching up with longtime allies in California as she weighs a run for governor, president or leaving politics, perhaps for a philanthropic venture. The former vice president is leaning heavily on the input of her most loyal pals — those who have backed her campaigns since she ran to be San Francisco's district attorney more than 20 years ago. She has been steadily collecting input and opinions from her allies to weigh the pros and cons of seeking her home state's top gig, and held multiple private meetings when she was in the Bay Area this month to headline a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. The intimate confabs in supporters' homes were billed as social gatherings, multiple people present told Melanie and Jeremy, but carried an unmistakable subtext as Harris' self-imposed decision deadline creeps closer. Coming up … Harris will take a planned vacation in July, when allies hope time to decompress and tune out will help clarify her thinking. GOOD MORNING. Happy Friday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. STATE CAPITOL ABUNDANCE MEETS POLITICAL REALITY — The momentum of the so-called Abundance movement has slammed into labor union and environmentalist opposition in Sacramento, Jeremy reports. Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders backed down Thursday from a late-stage budget gambit to streamline housing after construction unions railed against a minimum wage provision that the labor groups said — in colorful terms — was too low. The proposal's troubles call into question whether Abundance — in part an indictment of Democrats' alleged failure to focus on supplying a large enough inventory of affordable basic goods and services — has the juice to force a dramatic policy shift in the nation's largest blue state. For some California union leaders and Democrats, the term 'Abundance' has quickly become something like a slur. 'I've been around long enough to know that some of this latest trendy stuff is bullshit,' said state Sen. Dave Cortese, a San Jose Democrat and a staunch labor ally. ON THE AGENDA The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bills containing the state budget — minus housing legislation that was entangled in the labor fight — starting at 10 a.m. The Assembly will take them up afterward. EDUCATION ANTI-DEI CRUSADE — President Donald Trump's Department of Justice is investigating the University of California over its hiring practices, targeting a UC strategic plan that names increasing diversity as one of its goals, our Eric He reported for Pro subscribers. Harmeet Dhillon — the California attorney and former Republican Party official tapped by Trump to lead his DOJ's civil rights arm — notified the system of the probe Thursday. 'Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law,' Dhillon wrote in a letter to UC President Michael V. Drake. A UC spokesperson said in a statement that the system will work in good faith with the DOJ, adding that it is 'committed to fair and lawful processes in all of our programs and activities, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws' and that it aims to have a campus environment where 'everyone is welcomed and supported.' CLIMATE AND ENERGY CATCHING FIRE — California-grown fire tech companies are having a moment in Trump's Washington, shaping a bipartisan bill to reform wildfire management and getting shoutouts from top Republicans. At home, they're less front and center. Read more about their political positioning in last night's California Climate. Top Talkers CUT OFF — U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) reintroduced legislation that would keep the federal government from contracting with firearms dealers that have a history of selling guns that are used frequently to commit violent crimes. Padilla in a statement Thursday said that the 'commonsense' bill aims to prevent gun violence by 'ensuring that gun dealers keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.' ANTI-SOCIAL(IST) — Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, a Republican, weighed in on Mamdani's primary win, saying on Fox News' 'The Faulkner Focus' that the agenda that Mamdani has outlined usually ends up as a 'complete disaster.' Hilton went as far to say that Mamdani's promises are 'basically the kind of policies' that California already has, and bid New York 'good luck' in a post on X. AROUND THE STATE — A state appeals court moved to dismiss remaining criminal charges against a top adviser to former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. (Los Angeles Times) — San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos declared victory as the next District 3 city councilmember as his opponent, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez, conceded. (Mercury News) — A special election to fill the assessor position in Santa Clara County will cost at least $13.1 million. (East Bay Times) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Robert Edmonson, the chief of staff to newly elected Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia, will be the staff director for the committee's Democrats, our Nicholas Wu reports. Edmonson previously was Rep. Nancy Pelosi's chief of staff before joining Garcia's office. BIRTHDAYS — Tom Steyer … former Rep. Mike Honda … Devan Shah … Jesse Lehrich WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
a day ago
- Politics
- Politico
California donors cool on Kamala Harris: ‘No one is incredibly pumped.'
LOS ANGELES — Kamala Harris is ramping up her outreach to longtime supporters as she weighs a run for California governor. But many Democratic donors aren't enthusiastic, still hobbled by the hangover of her presidential loss. Some party funders have privately shared that ambivalence with each other as Harris has embarked on a quiet schedule of thank you visits, catch-up calls and listening sessions, touching base with her most trusted supporters as she weighs her options. The former vice president has tasked aides with exploring several paths, including not just a campaign for political office but also a philanthropic venture. In interviews, several major donors in the state told POLITICO they fear her reemergence as a candidate would re-open still-fresh wounds from her defeat in 2024. Some harbor lingering frustration about how her billion-dollar campaign juggernaut ended in debt and want assurances she would have a clear plan to win the governor's mansion. Others are impatient for Harris to start publicly making her case for why she'd want the job. 'There was more enthusiasm at first,' said Mather Martin, a San Francisco-based fundraiser who has worked for past Harris campaigns. 'I think it waned a bit.' One California Democrat who contributed six-figures to her presidential bid said a Harris candidacy would only serve as a reminder of how 'traumatizing' the last election was. 'Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete shit storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled … I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too,' the donor said. 'I've written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we're living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I'm furious at them, truly.' Close Harris allies acknowledge the sting of Harris' failed White House bid has not fully dissipated among the donor class. But they feel confident that even recalcitrant Democrats would rally behind Harris if she hopped into the governor's race, given the commanding advantages she'd have over the other contenders. They point to the sluggish state of the field, with declared candidates struggling to raise significant sums, as proof that funders are keeping their powder dry in case Harris runs. As she contemplates, Harris is leaning heavily on the input of her most loyal pals — those who have backed her campaigns since she ran to be San Francisco's district attorney more than 20 years ago. She held multiple private meetings when she was in the Bay Area this month to headline a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. The intimate confabs in supporters' homes were billed as social gatherings, according to multiple people present, but carried an unmistakable subtext as Harris' self-imposed decision deadline creeps closer. While still considering all her options, including running for president again, Harris' focus has been skewed toward a 2026 gubernatorial bid, since that is the most immediate decision to be made, according to a person close to her. The former vice president, who can be painstakingly deliberative, has been steadily collecting input and opinions from her allies to weigh the pros and cons of seeking her home state's top gig. The outcome of those conversations could dramatically reshape California's stagnant governor's race. Harris, with near-universal name ID and a well-oiled fundraising machine, would enter the race as a formidable frontrunner, likely causing many — though perhaps not all — Democratic rivals to leave the field. In addition to her decades-old fundraising apparatus in the state, she has an enviable small-donor email list and a national network of Black women who will be eager to support her in another history-making bid. Republicans, meanwhile, are eager for another shot to campaign against Harris, and her entrance in the field could prompt more GOP contenders to jump into the fray, even though the prospect of flipping solidly-blue California remains a long-shot. Republicans' giddiness at a Harris candidacy stands in marked contrast to some Democrats' unease about Harris' last turn in the political spotlight. Some stalwart donors said they feel misled about the state of former President Joe Biden's physical and mental acuity. They wonder whether Harris helped bolster his compromised candidacy until it became glaringly obvious in his disastrous debate he was not up for another campaign. Donors 'realize it's just going to bring up the whole pathetic last presidential, which no one wants to hear about again. And then it's the whole 'Did you know Joe Biden?' thing,' said one Southern California fundraiser who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations. 'She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped.' Harris has yet to weigh in on the topic which has roiled her party, even as Antonio Villaraigosa, a fellow Democrat who is running for governor, has accused her of being complicit in a cover-up. Even some of her supporters are antsy for her to address the issue head-on, believing she'll have to swiftly dispense with that question before she can make a positive case for her candidacy. Others in the finance world say that so long as Harris plays coy about her plans, she's giving little for would-be supporters to rally around. 'It's very fair to say there's not an overwhelming clamor' for her candidacy, said Scott Drexel, a Bay Area-based donor adviser who works with individuals, labor groups and businesses. 'It's very hard for there to be one if it's not 100 percent clear if she really wants to do it.' Many Democratic givers don't blame Harris for the November outcome, Drexel said. But neither are they inclined to see Harris waltz into the race and expect the party to automatically fall behind her. 'She's going to have to work for the nomination,' he said, adding, 'Every day that passes, there's less of a sense of inevitability about her candidacy.' Martin, her former fundraiser, said every time another Democrat enters the race, 'it becomes a story about 'Where is she?'' in her decision-making process. But, she noted, Harris' advantages 'overshadow the concerns about baggage. I'm not saying people don't have them, but if she were to get in, I think the strengths are going to overpower a lot of that.' The former vice president has kept a purposefully low profile in the months since leaving Washington. Among other things, she is dealing with the anodyne realities of adjusting to life back in Los Angeles, joking with friends about sorting through storage units. Harris is sticking with her late-summer deadline, though she has put a finer point on her season of decision-making. One key milestone is a planned July vacation — her first getaway since leaving office — where allies hope some time away to decompress and tune out will help clarify her thinking. 'I believe she is approaching this moment with thoughtfulness and a deep sense of responsibility,' said Debbie Mesloh, a political strategist and longtime Harris confidante, in a text message. 'I'm sure she is weighing where she can make the greatest impact, how best to serve, and what the moment demands. It's a process grounded in experience, values, and a clear understanding of the stakes.' Meanwhile, California political insiders are endlessly parsing her selective public outings and comments for clues about her plans. She was warmly received at Easter services in Inglewood and a Compton High School graduation, where she made surprise appearances that were vivid demonstrations of the organic grassroots support she still inspires in the state. But her attendance at the glitzy Met Ball gala in New York, and her absence at the California Democratic Party convention, do not necessarily fit the mold of a candidate for governor. The reality, according to people who know her well, is that Harris is keeping all of her options on the table. She has tasked aides with delving deeper into three possible routes: running for governor in 2026, running for president in 2028 or exploring a role outside of elected office where she can still have an impact on civic life. Harris' most ardent supporters have told the former vice president that they'll enthusiastically back her, no matter what she decides to do. But there's no universal consensus that the governor's race is her best option. 'There are folks who are saying, 'You should absolutely do this, you'd be great at it,'' said Todd Hawkins, a Harris bundler dating back to her days as state attorney general. 'And there are others who are saying, 'You don't need to do this. You've done enough. Create a legacy outside of politics.'' Running for governor would mean plunging into one of the most fraught moments in California's recent history. The state is rebuilding from devastating wildfires, bracing for economic fallout from Trump's tariffs and reeling from an unprecedented White House assault that has included immigration raids and military deployments. Those challenges are at top of mind for those who are handicapping the race. 'She is talking to people around the state about whether she is going to run,' said Joe Cotchett, a San Francisco trial lawyer and longtime Democratic donor. 'If she does, she's going to have very difficult problems.' Those in Harris' inner circle say she is not dissuaded by the challenges awaiting the next governor; no one would expect running the fourth-largest economy in the world to be easy. Instead, Harris' inquiries have largely been focused on what kind of impact she could have in the role. People familiar with Harris' outreach say the efforts are akin to a listening tour. She is keenly interested in how supporters are feeling and what their top concerns are for the state, where she hasn't lived full-time in nearly 10 years. The conversations, even in social settings, serve as a crucial pulse reading that could inform a gubernatorial campaign, all while reinforcing bonds with once and potentially future donors. In more overtly political discussions, Harris has been pressed by some allies about campaign strategy, especially if the current field is shaken up by a new entrant, such as Rick Caruso, the centrist billionaire developer and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate. 'The donors that are here, that have been with her know that this is her home state. She can win… so they're trying to encourage her,' Hawkins said. 'But they also don't want her to find herself in a spot of vulnerability, particularly if someone like a Rick Caruso comes into the race.' Even though her outreach, for now, is concentrated on her most long-standing allies, Harris is also relying on her inner circle to report back on how less gung-ho Democrats would respond to her potential bid. 'She is trusting those people to tell her the truth,' Hawkins said. 'What are the people on the sidelines saying?' He added: 'I do believe she's really listening — more than she ever has.' Dustin Gardiner contributed to this story.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Zohran Mamdani's social media strategy was about more than viral videos
Sitting on the subway and holding a MetroCard as a microphone, Zohran Mamdani had a hot take for New York City: He should be its next mayor. The scene was from a June 'Subway Takes' TikTok video that amassed more than 3 million views — part of a broader push by Mamdani to meet voters where they lived online. By the time his grassroots campaign reached primary day, he had won the backing of major social media figures like Emily Ratajkowski and engaged with voters through popular accounts like Pop Crave. Thousands expressed enthusiasm for his candidacy in comments on his dozens of social media videos, which experts say pitched his platform and personality to voters so convincingly that he outpaced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in polls before beating him in first-choice votes in the ranked-choice primary. (It may take a week or longer for the winner to be declared.) When Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, announced his mayoral candidacy last fall, he was little-known and considered a long shot. He was a self-described democratic socialist and deeply critical of Israel's actions in Gaza — factors that made him an unlikely Democratic candidate at a time when the party was veering away from left-leaning values. But in the months leading up to Tuesday's election, Mamdani skyrocketed from obscurity to internet fame, amassing more than 1 million followers on Instagram, as well as hundreds of thousands on TikTok and X. Though his viral social media campaign has echoes of Kamala Harris' own meme-filled presidential run, analysts say Mamdani's exhibited key differences that helped usher him to an apparent victory. 'If you ask voters, 'Why did you vote for Mamdani?' ... I don't think they're going to tell us, 'Oh, because I saw some cute thing on social media,'' said Jonathan Nagler, a politics professor at New York University and the co-director of its Center for Social Media and Politics. 'I think they're going to say what actually influenced them is because they learned something on social media about policies he had that mattered to them.' In his viral videos, Mamdani makes his hopes for the city clear: to lower the cost of living by raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers. His core campaign promises — rent freezes, fast and free buses, universal child care — have been the bedrock of his online platform. The more policy-focused online discussion stands apart from the content that defined Harris' online campaign, which included the aesthetics of Charli XCX's Brat and viral nonpolicy soundbites like Harris' reference to falling out of a 'coconut tree.' But along with policy, Mamdani also added personal flair to his online campaigning. In one recent video, Mamdani dapped up New Yorkers as he walked Manhattan from tip to tip, saying that residents 'deserve a mayor they can see, they can hear, they can even yell at.' He explained ranked-choice voting while speaking fluent Hindi in another video, complete with playful South Asian pop culture references. And when his campaign became the first to reach the $8 million spending cap in this year's mayoral race, Mamdani posted a video urging viewers to stop donating and volunteer to canvass instead. Anthony DiMieri, a filmmaker who works on Mamdani's campaign videos, said part of the mayoral candidate's popularity comes from the consistency of his character on and off camera. Mamdani is also highly involved in the video ideation process, he said, and will often add in spontaneous jokes or ideas during shooting. 'We met people on the campaign trail who said they joined because of the videos. We were like, 'What brought you here?' and they're like, 'I just loved his videos' and 'I haven't seen anybody like this,'' DiMieri said. 'We've all had a lot of fun doing this work, and I think the fun we're having is translating to audiences.' The momentum grew offline, too, as tens of thousands of volunteers showed up to door-knock for Mamdani in their neighborhoods. Online, his supporters shared stories of how they convinced their family, friends and neighbors to rank him first. Pranjal Jain, a digital strategist who worked on influencer strategy for Harris' vice presidential campaign in 2020, said Mamdani's social presence 'dismantles the ivory tower' that so many politicians keep themselves in. He's meeting New Yorkers on the streets with a warm smile, she said, and speaking to them like they're his peers. 'He is so smiley, he's so giggly. He's always hugging people,' Jain said. 'He's just running a grassroots and community-driven campaign, and I think his body language embodies that. Like, I've never seen Cuomo hug anyone in my entire life.' Experts agreed that the personality that shone through in Mamdani's videos effectively captured his audience in a way that Cuomo couldn't. 'It's not only about online or social media presence and filming spectacular actions,' said Magdalena Wojcieszak, a communication professor at the University of California Davis. 'It's also the fact that Mamdani is a very young 'digital native' outsider who has the charisma, humor, and personable nature that many politicians across the political aisle lack partly due to their age, political experience, and being seen as part of the 'establishment.'' Similar to Harris and President Donald Trump during their presidential campaigns, Mamdani has also been backed by online influencers and celebrities, appearing in videos with personalities ranging from "Saturday Night Live" cast member Sarah Sherman to left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. But Jain said Mamdani's influencer collaborations worked because these videos still incorporated talk of his policies and positions as opposed to relying on 'fluff.' He took a different approach to Harris' campaign, which she said failed despite being backed by 'Brat summer' and celebrity appearances because those partnerships didn't meaningfully showcase why they aligned with Harris as a candidate. Throughout his campaign, clips of his mayoral debates, including his handling of questions pressing him on his opinions on Israel and his searing critiques of Cuomo, also became fodder for memes and discourse that propelled him further into online popularity. Meanwhile, Mamdani has remained firm on some of the most controversial stances in establishment American politics: He has characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as 'genocide' and described the phrase 'globalize the intifada' as capturing 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights' — positions that have garnered him accusations of antisemitism. 'It pains me to be painted as if I am somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and that are such a key part of this city,' Mamdani said last week at an event in Manhattan, where he also shared that he has gotten anti-Muslim death threats to himself and his family. Online, Mamdani has also faced increasing Islamophobic rhetoric from right-wing commentators and politicians. After his victory Tuesday, X was inundated with posts calling him a 'Muslim jihadist' and comparing his win to the 9/11 terror attacks. To Jain, Tuesday's election was proof that Mamdani's viability as a candidate didn't hinge on his willingness to budge on his beliefs, such as his democratic socialist agenda and his support for Palestinians. 'I think it's really admirable that he stuck to his values. And I think that's what people want to see. No more of this centrist bulls---, right? It's important that we are able to see our politicians' opinions so we know if they're reflected in us or not,' Jain said. 'I feel like he ran a campaign because he believes that he as his most authentic self, really following his values, can help New York, rather than just pandering to try to get in office.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Zohran Mamdani's social media strategy was about more than viral videos
Sitting on the subway and holding a MetroCard as a microphone, Zohran Mamdani had a hot take for New York City: that he should be its next mayor. The scene was from a June ' Subway Takes ' TikTok video that amassed more than 3 million views — part of a broader push by Mamdani to meet voters where they lived online. By the time his grassroots campaign reached primary day, he had won the backing of major social media figures like Emily Ratajkowski and engaged with voters through popular accounts like Pop Crave. Thousands expressed enthusiasm for his candidacy in comments on his dozens of social media videos, which experts say pitched his platform and personality to voters so convincingly that he outpaced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in polls before beating him in a sweeping primary win. When the 33-year-old state lawmaker, then little known, first announced his mayoral candidacy last fall, he was considered a long shot. Mamdani was a self-described democratic socialist and deeply critical of Israel's actions in Gaza — factors that made him an unlikely Democratic candidate at a time when the party has been veering away from left-leaning values. But in the months leading up to Tuesday's election, Mamdani had skyrocketed from obscurity to internet fame, amassing more than 1 million followers on Instagram, as well as hundreds of thousands on TikTok and X. Though his viral social media campaign has echoes of Kamala Harris' own meme-filled run, analysts say Mamdani's exhibited key differences that helped usher him to real victory. 'If you ask voters, 'Why did you vote for Mamdani?' ... I don't think they're going to tell us, 'Oh, because I saw some cute thing on social media,'' said Jonathan Nagler, a politics professor at New York University and the co-director of its Center for Social Media and Politics. 'I think they're going to say what actually influenced them is because they learned something on social media about policies he had that mattered to them.' In his viral videos, Mamdani makes his hopes for the city clear: to lower the cost of living by raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers. His core campaign promises — rent freezes, fast and free buses, universal child care — have been the bedrock of his online platform. The more policy-focused online discussion stands apart from the content that defined Harris' online campaign, which included the aesthetics of Charli XCX's Brat and viral nonpolicy soundbites like Harris' reference to falling out of a 'coconut tree.' But along with policy, Mamdani also added personal flair to his online campaigning. In one recent video, Mamdani dapped up New Yorkers as he walked Manhattan from tip to tip, saying that residents 'deserve a mayor they can see, they can hear, they can even yell at.' He explained ranked-choice voting while speaking fluent Hindi in another video, complete with playful South Asian pop culture references. And when his campaign became the first to reach the $8 million spending cap in this year's mayoral race, Mamdani posted a video urging viewers to stop donating and volunteer to canvass instead. Anthony DiMieri, a filmmaker who works on Mamdani's campaign videos, said part of the mayoral candidate's popularity comes from the consistency of his character on and off camera. Mamdani is also highly involved in the video ideation process, he said, and will often add in spontaneous jokes or ideas during shooting. 'We met people on the campaign trail who said they joined because of the videos. We were like, 'What brought you here?' and they're like, 'I just loved his videos' and 'I haven't seen anybody like this,'' DiMieri said. 'We've all had a lot of fun doing this work, and I think the fun we're having is translating to audiences.' The momentum grew offline, too, as tens of thousands of volunteers showed up to door-knock for Mamdani in their neighborhoods. Online, his supporters shared stories of how they convinced their family, friends and neighbors to rank him first. Pranjal Jain, a digital strategist who worked on influencer strategy for Harris' vice presidential campaign in 2020, said Mamdani's social presence 'dismantles the ivory tower' that so many politicians keep themselves in. He's meeting New Yorkers on the streets with a warm smile, she said, and speaking to them like they're his peers. 'He is so smiley, he's so giggly. He's always hugging people,' Jain said. 'He's just running a grassroots and community-driven campaign, and I think his body language embodies that. Like, I've never seen Cuomo hug anyone in my entire life.' Experts agreed that the personality that shone through in Mamdani's videos effectively captured his audience in a way that Cuomo couldn't. 'It's not only about online or social media presence and filming spectacular actions,' said Magdalena Wojcieszak, a communication professor at the University of California Davis. 'It's also the fact that Mamdani is a very young 'digital native' outsider who has the charisma, humor, and personable nature that many politicians across the political aisle lack partly due to their age, political experience, and being seen as part of the 'establishment.'' Similar to Harris and President Donald Trump during their presidential campaigns, Mamdani has also been backed by online influencers and celebrities, appearing in videos with personalities ranging from Saturday Night Live cast member Sarah Sherman to left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. But Jain said Mamdani's influencer collaborations worked because these videos still incorporated talk of his policies and positions as opposed to relying on 'fluff.' He took a different approach to Harris' campaign, which she said failed despite being backed by ' Brat summer ' and celebrity appearances because those partnerships didn't meaningfully showcase why they aligned with Harris as a candidate. Throughout his campaign, clips of his mayoral debates, including his handling of questions pressing him on his opinions on Israel and his searing critiques of Cuomo, also became fodder for memes and discourse that propelled him further into online popularity. Meanwhile, Mamdani has remained firm on some of the most controversial stances in establishment American politics: He has characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as 'genocide' and described the phrase 'globalize the intifada' as capturing 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights' — positions that have garnered him accusations of antisemitism. 'It pains me to be painted as if I am somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and that are such a key part of this city,' Mamdani said last week at an event in Manhattan, where he also shared that he has gotten anti-Muslim death threats to himself and his family. Online, Mamdani has also faced increasing Islamophobic rhetoric from right-wing commentators and politicians. After his victory Tuesday, X was inundated with posts calling him a ' Muslim jihadist ' and comparing his win to the 9/11 terror attacks. To Jain, Tuesday's election was proof that Mamdani's viability as a candidate didn't hinge on his willingness to budge on his beliefs, such as his democratic socialist agenda and his support for Palestinians. 'I think it's really admirable that he stuck to his values. And I think that's what people want to see. No more of this centrist bulls---, right? It's important that we are able to see our politicians' opinions so we know if they're reflected in us or not,' Jain said. 'I feel like he ran a campaign because he believes that he as his most authentic self, really following his values, can help New York, rather than just pandering to try to get in office.'
