More than 100 Generation Z candidates launched bids for Congress this election cycle, according to Future Caucus, but only a handful will appear on the November ballot. The surge reflects deep frustration among young adults with partisan gridlock and a desire to reshape the political landscape, even as their efforts largely fall short.
Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus, points to a key structural hurdle: Gen Z candidates are more likely to run outside the two major parties, which statistically reduces their odds of winning. "That mirrors the growing independence of Gen Z voters, and more broadly, that there are more people who are registering as unaffiliated," Zaidane told The Hill. "When it comes to election day, we're just seeing more Gen Zers fail." She also noted that younger candidates typically have less access to wealth and fundraising networks than established politicians. "A lot of Gen Zers are running based on enthusiasm or some grassroots energy, but they aren't as well-funded as their opponents," she said.
There is one notable exception. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist, defeated long-time incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in a high-profile primary in Colorado's 1st Congressional District earlier this year. She is virtually assured of winning the safely Democratic seat in November. Unlike most of her Gen Z peers, Kiros had both money and momentum: she raised over $1 million, according to Federal Election Commission data, and her campaign made more than 500,000 calls and knocked on 100,000 doors. DeGette still outspent her, having raised $1.6 million.
Adam Pennings, executive director of Run Gen Z, an organization that recruits and mentors young conservatives running for state office, told The Hill that breaking into Congress is especially difficult for Gen Z. Beyond fundraising challenges, young adults lack the advantage of incumbency. Pennings noted that while social media can help candidates raise awareness and money, a large online following does not guarantee reaching a specific constituency. Run Gen Z leverages age as a strength. "You are a young person and that is a benefit because you're going to live with the consequences of your votes for 40, 50, 60 years," Pennings said.
Zaidane highlighted a broader trend: in past elections, one in six candidates were under 45; now it's one in three. "It includes more younger candidates, and that enthusiasm, appetite and choice to run in the first place is something that has been steadily increasing," she added. Despite most Gen Z candidates failing to advance past their primaries, several will still be on the November ballot.
In addition to Kiros, 29-year-old former Iowa state Rep. Joe Mitchell (R) is running for Congress against Democratic state Rep. Lindsay James in Iowa. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for Senate. Mitchell co-founded Run Gen Z in 2020. GOP candidate Michael Alfonso, 26, is married to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's daughter, Evita Duffy, and is running in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, where Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) is vacating his seat for a gubernatorial run. Riley Owen, a 27-year-old Navy Reserve member, is running as a Republican in Utah's 1st Congressional District "to keep fighting for the American dream with results, not rhetoric," according to his campaign website.
Joe Vogel, a 29-year-old Democratic delegate representing Maryland's 17th Legislative District, ran for a House seat in 2024. "Being a young candidate has allowed me to have a platform both in my run for Congress and my run for the Legislature and the work I've been doing," Vogel told The Hill. He credits his loss in the 6th Congressional District's 2024 primary to Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) for making him a better legislator and giving him a broader perspective on the state's communities. "One of the misconceptions that I think folks have about young candidates is that we only appeal to young voters, and that's not the case," Vogel said. "In both of my campaigns, we really built a multigenerational movement of folks." He added, "We're looking to turn the page and elect a new generation of leaders who would bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to the issues and a new sense of energy and enthusiasm for the work that needs to be done."
Vogel argues that Gen Z has a chance to fix what older generations have done while giving future politicians something to look up to. "Generations to come will look at this moment in time right now and ask, 'What did they do, how did they meet this moment?'" he said. Above all, this election's losses have not discouraged young adults. Gen Z candidates have a sense of "I don't need to wait my turn," according to Zaidane. When younger candidates enter the national spotlight, they are often portrayed as extreme. In reality, Zaidane said, they are more passionate. "The fact that so many of them are running outside the traditional true party system tells us that there's a lot more nuance in their views and the issues that they're running on than you might assume," she said.
