‘MrBeast, Is That You?’: Internet Reacts to Politician’s Striking Resemblance

A 22-year-old conservative candidate’s announcement for the Wisconsin State Assembly has ignited a viral frenzy across social media, with thousands stunned by his near-identical resemblance to YouTube superstar MrBeast. Brady Penfield, a recent University of Wisconsin–River Falls graduate, posted a campaign photo on X while declaring his bid for the 28th Assembly district at the Wisconsin College Republicans State Convention, only for users to flood the replies with doppelgänger comparisons. Comments ranged from “I thought this was MrBeast for a second” to “You look even more like MrBeast than MrBeast himself”, with one joking that the candidate should “lean into it” to secure victory.

Penfield, who founded and led his campus College Republicans chapter for two years and previously worked as a field representative for Turning Point Action, embraced the attention with good humour. Responding directly to commenters, he wrote, “Many have said this!”—acknowledging the frequent real-life and online comparisons to Jimmy Donaldson, the 27-year-old internet icon better known as MrBeast. The candidate’s clean-cut beard, wide smile, and youthful energy mirror Donaldson’s trademark look so closely that side-by-side images quickly racked up millions of views across X, TikTok, and Reddit.

The unexpected crossover has thrust the young politician into the national spotlight ahead of the 2026 election cycle. Penfield introduced himself on X as a lifelong Wisconsinite who switched from a family of Dane County Democrats to conservatism during the 2020 COVID lockdowns. His platform emphasises grassroots conservative organising among students and professors, a mission he advanced by building one of Wisconsin’s most active campus Republican networks.

Also Read: Mamdani to Trump: 'Turn the Volume Up'; President Fires Back, '...AND SO IT BEGINS!'

As memes continue to spread—some superimposing Penfield into iconic MrBeast thumbnails—the light-hearted buzz has given the first-time candidate an early surge in name recognition. Political observers note that the viral moment could translate into fundraising and volunteer momentum, proving once again that in the digital age, a single resemblance can catapult an unknown local contender onto the global stage overnight.

Also Read: "Threatened": Zohran Mamdani Attributes Trump's Attacks to Insecurity