Is Kamala Gen Z’s First Presidential Candidate?

Kamala IS brat. So says Charli XCX, this summer’s all-conquering meme queen. 

If you don’t get it, don’t worry.  It will be all you hear about a week from now. The new Presidential candidate is off to a flying start.  The out-of-the-blocks fundraising has certainly helped but today’s media environment resembles the Serengeti at meal time and viral immediacy is pure red meat.

Kamala is brat.

As superficial as it sounds, this is nothing to be sniffed at. JFK won first on TV, Clinton owned the late-night talk shows and tabloids (ok, not always willingly) and Obama was the first US Presidential candidate to embrace social media. Can Kamala take it to the next level?

If there has been one audience that has been completely overlooked in this US election cycle it has been Gen Z.  They may be endlessly lampooned and criticized for their less than nuanced stance on the Gaza crisis, but they demand and deserve a seat at the table to the greatest show on earth.

“Momola”, “fun mom” and “wine aunt” might sound like disses but the affection that’s radiating from these labels has ensured Harris the best soft launch a candidate could wish for.

In coming weeks, we will see Gen Z finally begin to express opinions on this race both in the US and elsewhere. Where they land, where they turn and where they end up may prove to be decisive, one way or another.

We will get to hear a lot more about the issues relevant to them and framed in ways that may seem alien to traditional campaign message specialists. But that is the fun of elections. Every cycle brings something new and unexpected.

Momentum is everything in politics and it is likely that Gen Zers will now look to out compete each other in their quest for the best kamalapropisms. Expect a flurry of memes, tweets, Instas and TikTok FYPs in coming weeks that, when added up, will monetize her campaign well beyond what she raises from  donors. 

Not even Hillbilly Elegy buys you that.

“Momentum is everything in politics and it is likely that Gen Zers will now look to out compete each other in their quest for the best kamalapropisms. ”

Of course, none of this will be sustainable if Kamala fails to play her role in coming months.  But if someone hosts a party on your behalf, it’s always best to accept the invitation willingly and be prepared to hit the dance floor.

Regardless of who you’re cheering on in this campaign, this burst of energy was sorely needed.

God help Trump if Taylor Swift decides to wade in any time soon with an endorsement.