For the first time in history, members of Gen Z are eligible to run for Congress. While they’re still too young for the Senate, aspiring young politicians can join the House of Representatives, and with that, become some of the most powerful civic actors of their generation.
These Zillenial leaders come from all over the country. Some are Republicans, others are Democrats. But they all bring a fresh new perspective to the political scene, and even if they don’t win this time around, they have plenty of time to try again.
Maxwell Frost
Age: 25
District: Florida’s 10th Congressional district
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Won Democratic primary. Will face Republican nominee Calvin Wimbish in the November midterm election.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: Before running for Congress, Frost led national organizing at the gun advocacy group March for Our Lives. Frost has already made history as one of the first Gen Z nominees for Congress. If he wins, he will become one of the most powerful young civic leaders in America.
Karoline Leavitt
Age: 25
District: New Hampshire 1st Congressional district
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Leavitt will face Congressman Chris Pappas, a Democrat, in the November election. Unlike Frost’s race, this one is generally considered a toss-up, meaning it’s a close race that will likely come down to the wire.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: Born in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Leavitt is one of two Gen-Zers running for Congress this year. Before running for Congress, Leavitt worked as a staffer in the Trump White House and communications director for Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York. If she wins, Leavitt would not only become the youngest member of Congress, but also flip New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District from Democratic to Republican control.
Tim Baxter
Age: 24 or 25
District: New Hampshire 1st Congressional District
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Lost in the Republican primary
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: As a member of the New Hampshire state House of Representatives, Baxter has already won a political race. While he lost to a fellow Gen-Zer in the primary, few politicians make it far without a loss or two.
Sara Jacobs
Age: 31
District: California’s 53rd Congressional district
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Jacobs represents a safe Democratic district, so barring the unexpected, she should skate to re-election this November.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: Jacobs is the third-youngest member of Congress, so she knows how to operate in the complicated legislative body. She has experience working to end youth homelessness in her native San Diego, so she also knows how to engage in her community outside of elected office.
Mayra Flores
Age: 36
District: Texas’ 34th Congressional District
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: The Cook Political Report rates this race a Republican toss-up, so as the Republican candidate in the race, Flores has a slight advantage over her Democratic opponent, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: As Latino support grows for Republicans, particularly in South Texas, Flores represents the kind of young, conservative politician her party has been hoping for. Born in Burgos Tamaulipas, Mexico, Flores credits her grandparents with teaching her religious and personal resilience.
Matthew Foldi
Age: 25
District: Maryland’s 6th Congressional District
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Lost in the primary.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: Foldi was unable to beat out Neil Parrott, a Maryland State Delegate, for the Republican nomination. But Foldi has worked in journalism before, so he knows the importance of building an informed civic body and will have plenty of time to engage in his future.
Nabeela Syed
District: Illinois’ 51st state House district
Office sought: Illinois General Assembly
Status of the race: Syed faces an incumbent, Republican Chris Bos, so she’ll have to convince voters to send a Democrat this time to the State House of Representatives. The election will be held on Nov. 8.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: Born in Palatine, Illinois, Syed has already worked on “voter mobilization, ending sexual assault on college campuses, and promoting gender equity,” according to her campaign website. By running for the state House rather than national office, Syed will have a chance to have an impact on the things people in her community deal with every day.
Sam Lawrence
Age: 19
District: Ohio’s 47th State House District
Office sought: Ohio’s State House of Representatives
Status of the race: Lawrence faces a Republican incumbent, so he’ll have to flip this seat to win.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: At just 19 years old, Sam is the youngest candidate on this list. He’s running before many people even begin to care about politics, so even if he doesn’t win this year, he is already stepping up for his community in a big way.
Ray Reed
Age: 25
District: Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives
Status of the race: Reed lost in the Democratic primary.
Why they matter/Where they’re headed: The St. Louis native brought youth and energy to the Democratic primary, and while he didn’t pull out a victory this time, he’s a candidate to watch going forward. Reed told the St. Louis American that he wants to “build a broader coalition of voters across divisions of race, region, religion, gender and income.”
