A viral video of Senator El-Sayed dancing has prompted criticism from political journalist John Fund regarding the Democratic Socialist Alliance's campaign strategies [1].
The incident highlights a growing tension between traditional political decorum and the use of short-form video platforms to reach younger demographics. As political parties pivot toward social media, critics argue that such tactics may alienate older constituents.
Fund said the Democratic Socialist Alliance (DSA) is chasing votes on Instagram and TikTok [1]. He used the viral footage of the senator as an example of the party's attempt to win over young voters through social media trends [1].
While the video gained significant traction online, Fund questioned the efficacy of the approach. He suggested that the party may be overestimating the influence of the youth vote relative to the broader electorate.
"The problem that they forget is this: there are only so many of them," Fund said [2].
Fund said the strategy could backfire by appearing unprofessional to a larger segment of the population. He argued that many voters find the spectacle of a senator dancing to be off-putting, a group he believes outweighs the target audience of 20 and 30-year-olds [2].
"There are lots of people who don’t appreciate a senator doing his dance moves, and there are still more of them than there are of 20 and 30‑year‑olds," Fund said [2].
The video continues to circulate in Australia, serving as a flashpoint for debates over how elected officials should conduct themselves on digital platforms [1].
“"The problem that they forget is this: there are only so many of them."”
This clash reflects a broader strategic divide in modern campaigning. While the Democratic Socialist Alliance is leveraging algorithmic trends to engage Gen Z and Millennials, critics like Fund argue that the 'cringe' factor of such content risks eroding the perceived dignity of the office and alienating the larger, older voting bloc that remains decisive in elections.
