Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary thinks he's spotted the future of political campaigning, and it's running New York City right now. O'Leary, better known as "Mr. Wonderful," took to X to shower praise on Zohran Mamdani, the city's 112th mayor, for what he describes as a masterclass in data-driven politics.

The Algorithm Whisperer

O'Leary didn't hold back in his assessment of Mamdani's 2025 mayoral victory. "Mamdani and his team are defining the new rules of politics, in my view. His win is a demonstration of data science. He did a spectacular job in making sure none of his competitors got near him in the vote by using social media," the Canadian businessman wrote.

What caught O'Leary's attention wasn't just that Mamdani won, but how he won. According to O'Leary, Mamdani executed a strategy "in a way no one had done before," understanding "every algorithm on every platform" and knowing how to keep "every engagement in the top quartile." In other words, while other politicians were still figuring out TikTok, Mamdani was already gaming every social media algorithm like a seasoned data scientist.

A New Democratic Playbook

O'Leary went further, suggesting that Mamdani is "in fact forming a new form of leadership for the Democratic Party." His advice? Politicians heading into the midterms should be taking notes. It's not often that a Shark Tank investor tells politicians to study someone's playbook, but here we are.

Mamdani, who became New York City's youngest mayor in over a century, hasn't just talked a big game. Before taking office, the Democratic Socialist proposed targeted tax increases on the city's highest earners to fund free bus service and major affordable housing programs. In November, his transition team received more than 50,000 job applications from every New York City ZIP code except 11695 in the Rockaways.

Making Waves Beyond The Campaign

The unconventional approach extends to his appointments too. Mamdani named Lillian Bonsignore as FDNY commissioner, making her the first woman in Fire Department history to achieve a 4-star rank. The move drew criticism from figures including Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, but it illustrates how Mamdani's strategy is creating ripples in both politics and public administration.

Whether you agree with his policies or not, Mamdani's campaign approach has clearly caught the attention of one of business television's most outspoken personalities. And if O'Leary is right, we might be seeing a lot more politicians trying to crack the algorithm code in the years ahead.