New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is leaning on an unconventional strategy to reach voters — by borrowing from one of television’s most recognizable franchises.
Mamdani’s campaign debuted a new advertisement titled Rose during the season premiere of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor. The ad, designed with a romantic reality show aesthetic, features Mamdani directly addressing viewers in a candlelit setting.
“You deserve better,” Mamdani says in the spot. “You deserve to be able to raise your family here. To be safe. To travel where you need to, free of cost and worry. You deserve someone who works as hard as you do — who thinks about you every second of the day. That’s the kind of mayor I promise to be.”
The ad concludes with Mamdani lifting a rose toward the camera, asking: “New York, will you accept this rose?”
Campaign officials confirmed that the commercial is part of a seven-figure ad buy, marking the beginning of a larger media push as the general election approaches.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who captured attention earlier this year with unconventional primary ads, won the Democratic nomination in a surprise upset. His strategy has leaned heavily on breaking through traditional campaign clutter with creative, pop culture-inspired spots aimed at connecting with voters in unexpected ways.
In November, Mamdani will face off against independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, along with Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa.
The Golden Bachelor placement signals Mamdani’s attempt to target older voters, a demographic central to the ABC series. By framing his pitch through the iconic “rose ceremony” symbol, Mamdani positions his candidacy as not only political, but personal — asking New Yorkers for their final rose.
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