Donald Trump’s second term has ushered in a new era in American politics. It’s brasher, crueler, more direct, more super online, and certainly more dystopian.
Democrats and sometimes even Republicans have struggled to compete with Trump’s monopoly on the attention market. But the leaders of both parties are only mortal—yes, even Trump—and they’re not going to be around forever.
A new generation of political talent is muscling its way onto the scene, armed with new ways of connecting with the masses and original visions of the country they want to live in. Here are the candidates, the influencers, and the insiders on both the left and the right that we think you’ll keep hearing from, and why. You might just remember when you spotted a future president in this edition of WIRED.
After the shock of the 2024 election loss, some Democrats became convinced of the need for a “liberal Joe Rogan”—someone to appeal to the podcast-bro demographic that helped put Trump back in the White House. But there are already Democrats and progressives who know how to mobilize an online audience—and think they know where the party’s communications have gone wrong.
Melted Solids
Production agency,
Brooklyn, New York
If you were caught up in the avalanche of content coming from the New York City mayoral primary race, you likely saw a video by Melted Solids, which worked with Zohran Mamdani early on in his campaign. Cofounders Anthony DiMieri and Debbie Saslaw come from advertising and content production backgrounds, not politics. They bring a documentary-style approach focused on platforming regular people. “Listening, not lecturing,” as Saslaw describes it. One of their most viral collaborations with Mamdani is a video of the candidate interviewing Trump voters (and nonvoters) in Queens and the Bronx.
But not everyone can nail the essence of a Melted Solids video, or even understand what makes them special. In Andrew Cuomo’s unsuccessful attempt at mimicking Mamdani, he’s seen hand-shaking and back-slapping potential voters, but their voices remain unheard. You’re likely to keep seeing DiMieri and Saslaw’s influence on political messaging, though, thanks to Mamdani’s upset victory in June.
Chi Ossé
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