Democrats enter their thirst trap era

Democrats seem to be leaning into a specific midterm strategy, especially on socials: bringing sexy back.

Unbuttoned shirts on CNN.

Exposed biceps on the rally stage.

Made-for- TikTok thirst trap b-roll.

And the return of the tan suit.

Why it matters: The left is leaning into candidates who look young, energetic and even desirable , with fresh faces often eclipsing the older guard.

"We see a rise in young millennials, or the top part of Gen Z, trying to get into office," says Grace Weinstein, a politics and culture senior correspondent at The Recount and founder of " Who Broke It ?" "We're talking about a generation that is not always image obsessed, but always image aware." The big picture: Democrats are working through identity growing pains between the left flank and the party's establishment.

But with moderates and progressives alike, Dems are playing the sex appeal card.

The party's main TikTok page has given big names the thirst trap treatment, including: Sen.

Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) ( nicknamed "Senator My Boo" by internet fans), Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in his tight-fitting T-shirts, a grinning NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former President Obama with a touch of gray, among others .

The ladies — like Rep.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Michelle Obama — have gotten their share of screen time too, though Weinstein notes the Dems' page has made a "very intentional choice to feature the most attractive male members." Zoom out: It goes hand in hand with a larger trend of politicians becoming part of creator culture, Axios' Kerry Flynn and Sara Fischer report .

Paulina Mangubat, DNC digital content and creative director, tells Axios those "graphics and fan edits are reaching millions of voters and potential new voters in authentic ways – breaking into group chats and DMs – and spreading the word about Democrats in a fun way.

Our 13.9 million followers agree: Fighting for Americans is sexy." Between the lines: A resurgent MAGA world mastered the production of Mar-a-Lago/country-club chic in the 2024 election, Weinstein says, while Democrats were sometimes seen as "schlubby and … nerdy, or the sort of other end of the spectrum, which was like … blue-haired." Now, "Democrats are really working hard on TikTok, especially, to figure out what the brand is now," she says, and " rizz , for lack of a better word, is the dominant feature." Yes, but: There's not a one-size-fits-all approach to Democrats' style: You'll rarely see Mamdani not wearing a suit, even in a pool .