New Delhi: Following the Democratic Party’s sweeping victories in the United States midterm elections, memes on social media have declared that “woke is back”. Indian users, too, joined the celebrations, drawing parallels with electoral upsets and political controversies back home.
“Gyanesh Kumar would’ve never let this happen to Trump,” Abhijeet Dipke wrote on X, referring to the ongoing allegations against India’s Chief Election Commissioner, particularly over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Other jokes zeroed in on the Democratic breakthrough in Texas, a state that has remained a Republican stronghold for decades.
“This is their Ayodhya 2024,” an Indian user wrote, equating the Democrats’ unexpected victories in Texas with the BJP’s symbolic electoral loss in Faizabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP’s defeat in Faizabad, which includes Ayodhya, came just months after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir.
“Republicans apna Uttar Pradesh haar gaye (Republicans lost their UP)” another user posted.
The Texas comparison was relatable as Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race, while Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Greg Abbott to become the state’s first Latina governor.
“IF TEXAS CAN FLIP. SO CAN INDIA 2029. BJP, COUNT YOUR DAYS,” a user wrote.
Some of the jokes also referenced the parasocial relationships people across the world have developed with American political candidates.
Memes galore
“THATS MY SENATOR DAWG (I live in Patna, Bihar),” a user wrote of Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan. The progressive Democrat and the son of Egyptian immigrants, became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
“Mamdanistan expanded its borders”, another user wrote.
The global digs further targeted US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. “So regime change in Texas before Tehran,” a user wrote.
The results also produced several historic firsts in American politics. Georgia elected Keisha Lance Bottoms as the first Black woman governor in US history, New Hampshire elected Chris Pappas as the first openly gay man to the Senate, and New Mexico elected Deb Haaland as its first Native American woman governor. Texas, meanwhile, elected its first Latina governor Gina Hinojosa.
Social media users celebrated the milestones, writing “First black Woman, First openly gay man, First native American, First Palestinian, and the list just keeps growing, woke is SO back.”
Conservative anxieties over pronouns, religious identity, abortions, queer representation and immigration also became fodder for the meme cycle.
“We’re renaming the White House to the POC house,” a user wrote.
Another post presented a satirical manifesto of what it called “WOKE 3.0”, listing the supposed new political order: “PRONOUNS IN BIO AND EMAILS”, “GOD IS NOW NONBINARY AND GOES BY THEY/THEM”, “SHARIA LAW INSTITUTED”, “MANDATORY LGBTQIA+ CURRICULUM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS”, “DRAG QUEEN STORYTIME”, “FREE ABORTIONS” and “MANDATORY REPARATIONS FOR BEING STRAIGHT AND WHITE”.
The exaggerated list played on the familiar language of conservative opposition to progressive politics, turning the Conservative anxieties into a deliberately absurd vision of a takeover.
Other posts leaned into darker humour. “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again,” one user wrote, referring to the assassination of the conservative political commentator in September 2025.
The jokes also turned towards the platforms hosting them, in an apparent dig at Elon Musk. “At this rate, this app will be renamed Twitter by 9AM tomorrow!” a user wrote on X.
(Edited by Aakriti Handa)