In Her Campus’ series Gen Leaders, we rapid-fire interview Gen Z candidates running for office in 2024. This month, Cheyenne Hunt, who is running to represent California’s 45th congressional district, shares a look behind the curtain of her campaign.
Cheyenne Hunt is much more than a “TikTok influencer” running for Congress. At only 26 years old, Hunt has created a name for herself in the political arena, overcoming generational obstacles while solidifying herself as the only Gen Z woman running for Congress in California’s 45th district.
The 2024 election is quickly approaching, and approximately 8 million Gen Zers will be casting their ballot at the polls for the first time ever. As a member of Gen Z herself, Hunt is aware of the key topics Gen Z cares about, and wants to center her campaign around them. “So much of what we are trying to do is center our campaign around the issues that keep people up at night. And that ends up being a really effective vehicle for cross-generational outreach [too], because we really do have more in common there than I think people will generally acknowledge,” Hunt tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview.
Hunt has grown quite the following on social media, and especially on TikTok, where she boasts over 93,000 followers. Her account consists of campaign updates, political news, and day-in-the-life videos that outline what it’s like to work in politics — including a day spent trying to get Congress to pass a bill and, in more fun news, attending Vice President Kamala Harris’ holiday party this past December.
Hunt is acutely aware of the power social media has — especially when it comes to young people getting their news and learning about politics. However, social media is a slippery slope, which is why Hunt is strategic about what she shares to her platforms in an effort to continually boost engagement and participation from future voters. “I think a lot about what is missing from a narrative and try to add perspective there, and so often, the perspectives of young people and of young women are left out of the narrative,” she says. “I built my platform really speaking to that, and also utilizing some of my policy expertise to explain things in a more digestible way to folks [on topics] that may seem really complicated or removed from their daily lives. But we know that policy trickles down, and it impacts all of us.”
Despite her young age, Hunt has made history in various ways. As the youngest law clerk for Senator Amy Klobuchar in 2020, Hunt helped construct the impeachment case against former president Donald Trump, noting the key takeaway she got from the experience: “Democracy is the most precious thing that we have, and it is also incredibly fragile. It demands that we safeguard it, respect it, and take a stand when there are assaults on our democratic system. And to work on the Trump impeachment, I really got to see that.”
Hunt was the first person in her family to graduate from college (UC Irvine), being raised by two generations of single mothers working to create their version of the American dream. Hunt recognizes the importance of her upbringing, and wants to share her experience with others who may have a similar story. “I strive to highlight, for folks that want to make a difference, that it is possible. Jumping into spaces where we are inherently unwelcome due to generations of bias is important,” she says. “I hope to be able to show other young women that there’s a place for us where our voices are necessary. I also hope to show folks that come from similar backgrounds — first generation college students, people who are the extension of generations of family reaching for that American dream — that we can do it, too, and we can do it together,” Hunt says.
If elected, Hunt will become the youngest woman in Congress, and the second member of Gen Z on Capitol Hill behind Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL). As amazing as these achievements would be, the process of campaigning can be exhausting. That’s why Hunt has some female role models that she looks up to for motivation and courage. “By far, my biggest female role models are my mother and grandmother,” she says. “More specifically to policy and politics, I look up to Elizabeth Warren a lot, frankly, because I can relate to the experience of being one of the more policy-focused folks in the room and not necessarily being taken seriously, but I try to follow her example of showing up with the receipts.”
It’s clear that Cheyenne Hunt has carefully crafted her campaign, and she proves that Gen Z candidates are just as eligible and important in the political sphere to their counterparts. Hunt is working to create space for Gen Zers in politics, and she’s ready to bring change to the United States.
These responses have been edited for length and clarity.
What music is the soundtrack to your campaign?
ABBA and Mamma Mia. Any upbeat music.
Surfing or swimming?
Swimming.
If you were to sum up your campaign goals with three key issues, what would they be?
An economy that works for working people, protecting the institutions of democracy, and averting the climate crisis before it’s too late.
Who is the TikToker you’re currently obsessed with?
Isaiah Martin, one of the other Gen Z Three.
What is your go-to coffee order?
From Starbucks, it’s the Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso. But generally I’m an oat milk vanilla latte girl at any other place.
Voting in person or absentee ballot?
I usually prefer the ease of an absentee ballot, but given that it’s going to be my name on the ballot this time, I think for the sake of ceremony, I’m going to vote in person.
What’s one phrase you would use to describe yourself?
My grandmother always used to say to me, “Buck up, soldier,” and we lost her a couple years ago. I took care of her. And I think about that a lot. Whenever I get scared of anything, whenever anything’s intimidating to me, I always hear her with her Boston accent over my shoulder going, “Buck up, soldier.”
What’s one thing you always have with you when you’re doing press and attending events?
I constantly have about a half gallon of water on me at all times. I find that talking definitely demands hydration, so I’m trying to be really vigilant about that.