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. El-Sayed, on the other hand, has a more casual trademark, the black V-neck.

• It's all intentional, says Lauren Rothman, a style behaviorist who has worked with politicians — who she says are more aware "now than ever that they are visual communicators."
• Political messaging that used to be mediated mainly through static or TV news is now distilled on multiple platforms at a time — and those platforms "reward … personality and physicality."
• "The strategy is the same," she says. "The distribution system is what has evolved."

The intrigue: Researchers have long studied the boost attractiveness or perceived competence gives candidates.

• "It's generally a perennial pattern among parties to try to get leaders that look the part," says Gabriel Lenz, a professor of political science at Berkeley who has studied how appearance impacts voters.
• From Warren G. Harding to JFK to Bill Clinton — and far beyond — candidate charisma (or rizz) and good looks have been central to success, at least temporarily, he explains. But Harding never got edited to Usher's "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)."

What we're watching: Whether sex appeal is as effective on the Hill as it is in Hollywood.

• In the meantime, whether you find it cringe or captivating: Expect more pecs in politics, references to candidates as "Father Figure[s]" and questions about BDE.

Go deeper: Political profanity is having a f*cking moment