Rundown

Zohran Mamdani-mania

Substack's political boom, two AI futures

Campaigns

How Zohran Mamdani used social media to build a movement
Washington Post
"His Instagram engagement rate was 14 times that of Cuomo during June, and across social media during the same period, conversations about him outnumbered mentions of Cuomo more than 30-to-1, according to analytics company Sprout Social."

How Zohran Mamdani Used Free Merch to Power His Mayoral Campaign
GQ
"The merch was all free. Mamdani hasn’t been allowed to sell any since hitting his fundraising goal early in the campaign. And so he’s opted to give it away at volunteer events and host DIY gatherings like this one, where supporters can have their own items decorated with his logo."

Content

On Substack, liberals find their answer to Musk’s X
Chaotic Era
"Substack’s growing influence—and its authors’ unmistakable lean to the left—is clearest on the company’s 'bestsellers' list, which ranks publications by paid subscriber count. Of the 100 top-selling titles in the U.S. Politics category, 81 are left-leaning or progressive."

Social Media

Bluesky explains why JD Vance was briefly suspended from platform
Newsweek
"Bluesky told Fox News that Vance's account was reinstated within 20 minutes of its suspension and that a verified badge has been added to it to 'help users confirm the authenticity of the profile.'"

Technology

What Campaigners Need to Know About iPhone’s New Call & Text Filtering
Campaign Trend
"Campaign professionals should take note of the mechanics, likely adoption rates, and practical steps necessary to maintain effective outreach with the 53% of voters – and 65% of donors – who use iPhone."

Imagining Two Possible Futures of AI In Political Campaigning
Center for Campaign Innovation
"If voters recoil from AI-driven interactions, candidates will succeed by emphasizing human authenticity. Instead of criticizing political consultants and poll-tested talking points, we’ll hear aspiring candidates distinguish themselves from AI-driven politicians."

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