Omnipresent and with a wink: How Mamdani won the elections through social media

“I’m from London and I’m actually worried about this man’s sleep. This is crazy,” one person wrote in the comments section under a video by Zohran Mamdani. Comments like this can be found thousands of times on social media. The man who many believe logistically can’t sleep has become a meta-meme. The reason for this is Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City. This has made him appear omnipresent beyond the borders of New York – in a symbiosis of presence on the streets of the city and those who watch the streets of the city on Tiktok.