Long before he became New York City’s 112th mayor, Zohran Mamdani understood that reaching young voters would require reaching them online.
Now the market is taking that strategy further in classic Mamdani fashion. On Thursday, Polygon exclusively revealed that Mamdani will launch a recurring Twitch live stream series titled “Talk with the People,” which premieres today at 4 PM ET, and will directly answer questions from viewers via Twitch chat. It will also be simulcast on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Bluesky.
Twitch’s move speaks volumes about the changing relationship between politics and the internet. Young audiences are increasingly consuming political information through creators, streamers, podcasts, and online celebrities rather than traditional media outlets.
Twitch, in particular, has evolved far beyond gaming over the past few years to become an incredibly influential political platform where audiences watch live debates on current events from influencers like Hasan Piker. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez famously embraced the platform in 2020, participating in a Among Us livestream aimed at encouraging young people to vote.
Mamdani said in a statement to Polygon. “By launching the nation’s first recurring cross-platform stream hosted by an elected official and having me answer New Yorkers’ questions live on Twitch, we are opening up a direct dialogue between our government and our people, especially the younger generation that has been ignored for too long.”
Mamdani also announced this move on Instagram yesterday with the caption, “26.26.5.21. Live at 4:10 PM.” Swiping to the next image gave followers a bigger clue, which included a photo of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous fireside chat. Radio broadcasts were used by FDR to speak directly to Americans at home.
The comparison seems intentional. Just as Roosevelt embraced radio as the defining communication technology of his era, Mamdani seems intent on reducing the distance between government and the public by showing where people now spend much of their time online.
The move fits Mamdani’s brand, which has been closely connected to social media from the beginning and has grown politically. Before becoming mayor, he developed a reputation in New York politics as a chronic online elected official. Mamdani, a New York State representative representing Astoria, has become known for her casual videos that explain housing policy, transit issues and affordability in plain language. His clips regularly go viral among young voters who can usually scroll right past traditional political messages.
Over time, Mamdani has built one of the strongest social media followings in American urban politics, amassing a combined following of over 15 million across Instagram, TikTok, and X.
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