Zohran Mamdani is making waves after winning the mayoral election of New York City as the Democratic Party candidate against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani gained fame across the city for his ideas addressing the concerns of the minorities in the city. With this, he became a favorite of Gen Z. For a generation that pushes for the equality of all, he was like a gold mine.
With this 2025 election, we saw a spike in Gen Z going to the polls. We are seeing both Democrats and Republicans battling to court the favor of our generation.
Mamdani has sparked confidence in Gen Z like no political candidate in the last ten years. The self-proclaimed socialist even took to social media to spread his campaign from every angle. My Instagram was a constant stream of Gen Z campaigning for their candidate.
Supporting minorities
Gaydar, a talk show on Instagram, asked Mamdani about critical cultural moments in the community. They also asked what he can do to help.
In the interview, Anania asked him how he could help queer families in the community. He emphasized making this city affordable for families. In a broader answer, he spoke on universal child care. Too often, families have to move to lower-income areas. Sometimes they move out of the city just to support their child.
Most recently, Mamdani visited the White House to talk to President Donald Trump.
One moment that made waves was when Mamdani was asked if he views Trump as a fascist. This referenced back to when he had said so in the past. Mamdani was hesitant to give a direct answer, the president urged him not to backtrack as it would be easier than a long-winded explanation.
This cordial meeting seemed to confuse many, as we have seen not only how Trump treats Muslims in the country but also how Trump treated Mamdani in the election. It could act as a harbinger of how Mamdani will be willing to work with those on the other side of the political divide as NYC Mayor.
Mamdani’s passion to create change doesn’t just stop at the Queer community but also when it comes to immigration. He is steadfast in his support of immigrants in light of Trump’s extreme immigration policy. “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants. As of tonight, led by an immigrant,” Mamdani said in his acceptance speech. He strongly supports immigration laws during a time when we see pushback in the country.
Mamdani’s Social Presence
ABC recently brought to light the effects that Mamdani is having when it comes to encouraging more people to run for political office. Following the primaries, there were thousands of people similar in age to Mamdani applying to run for political office.
Growing up on social media, it often seemed like political candidates lacked a spark on certain platforms. Where we saw Trump, who uses one primary outlet, Mamdani took to apps like Instagram and TikTok. He aimed to create his following through a widespread social media presence.
Often witty and inspirational, Mamdani’s Instagram is a hot spot for the knowledge needed on him. He speaks to his ideas and beliefs in a way that doesn’t force them on others. Instead, it inspires the people viewing.
This is something similar to what we have seen with his known inspiration of Bernie Sanders. Sanders’ most impactful moment of campaigning was being brought on stage at Coachella just this year.
Mamdani has adapted a similar campaigning style by going all over New York. From the streets to clubs, he talks to anyone who will listen. This shows the dedication he has. With Mamdani’s success, we will likely see candidates from Gen Z campaigning for office in this hybrid style of social media and grassroots involvement.
Mamdani’s campaign is going to have a lasting impact on not only New York City but this country. There are people from California to Florida who feel the impact of Mamdani. During a time when the immigrant and the LGBTQ+ community are being beaten down to their core, he provided relief and reassurance for these groups.
Gen-z feels the power
The power of our generation hasn’t stopped there, as we have seen in not only elections, but state laws and propositions. In the most recent election cycle, many Gen Z members were voicing their support for Proposition 50 in California.
Prop 50 allows a change to the current House of Representatives districts. It is a direct response to Texas Governor Greg Abbot’s redistricting efforts in which he has attempted to give Republicans more “safe seats” in next years midterm elections. It passed by a vote of the residents of California. This is in complete contrast to Texas redrawing districts not through the will of the people, but the will of politicians.
In seeing such a positive effect in this year’s midterm elections, there is no doubt that Gen Z has been empowered by their actions. With Mamdani’s win, the country seems to take one step in the right direction in politics. For many in Gen Z, there has been a call to action.
Taking action
Small business owners have been showing their support by creating products and raising funds specific to their social causes. This has resulted in a boom of support for these businesses and to help raise awareness for different groups. From @chnge to @mustard.doodles, the art is endless.
I spoke with Courtney (@mustard.doodles) about her sticker and why she dove into her piece. “Spreading awareness is a crucial aspect of political activism, and the form I take for doing so is through my art! For example, I drew and currently sell a Zohran Mamdani sticker (quoting his viral quote, ‘The name is Mamdani, M-a-m-d-a-n-i!’). I donate proceeds to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organization. My fellow artists, I swear that your art can and will make a difference!”
With the election coming to an end and Mamdani taking office next week, we can only hope for these promises to be kept. Gen Z has seen that we can have an impact on the world just by becoming active in the community around us. Many of Gen Z used their social platform to promote the policies they would like to see put in place, but also advocating for their communities across the country.
The hope is that Mamdani’s successful campaign will turn into motivation for Millennials and Gen Z. We have seen this spark already start with people of all ages and generations applying to work in public service politics across the country. Additionally, we have seen many more people lean towards politics on social media. Either way, it seems that the soon-to-be NYC Mayor has left an overwhelming impact on the political compass of Gen Z.
