In the last decade, Gen Z has grappled with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a national pandemic, mass shootings, and the beginning of many social movements. Gen Z has clarified its political stance through social platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Many Gen Zers use social media to express their opinions about the national political climate and how our government can improve it.
Political analysts generally predict how young voters appear in the polls during an election cycle. The 2022 midterms are shaping up to be about how Gen Z will impact the field. According to the Congressional Research Service, candidates must be 25 when they take office, and the current average age of House members is 58.4 years old.
So, which Gen Z candidates are running for office? There are more than you might think, and they’re shaking up the system with their platforms and campaigns.
- Maxwell Alejandro Frost
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Frost, a 25-year-old Florida native, hopes to become the first Gen Z candidate to represent his community. According to Frost’s website, his “campaign is about organizing a coalition of people behind a platform representing their values and interests.” Frost is running for Congress in Florida’s 10th Congressional District.
Gun violence is at the front of Frost’s campaign. In a recent interview with Her Campus, Frost said, “Taking action against gun violence starts with passing meaningful legislation and looking at the root cause of the issue and policy failures.” Frost revealed he was a survivor of gun violence when he was present during a shooting in downtown Orlando in 2016. He hopes to inspire other Gen Zers and encourage them to fight for issues that matter to them.
- Nabeela Syed
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Syed is a University of California, Berkeley 2021 graduate running for the 51st District in the Illinois State House of Representatives against Chris Bos. Syed cares about myriad issues, including women’s healthcare, property tax relief for working families, and equal rights to help other Muslim people feel safe in their communities. Syed has done a great deal of work in her religious community to mentor other Muslim girls to feel confident and comfortable in their hijabs. She hopes they will also have the courage to stand up to hate in their communities.
In the Democratic primary race, Syed beat her opponent Chelsea Laliberte Barnes by gaining 72.4% of votes. If she wins, Syed will be the first South Asian woman to serve in Illinois’ legislature.
- Joe Vogel
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As a 25-year-old Democrat running for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates to represent District 17, Vogel wants to fight for the immigrant community that raised him, defend reproductive rights, and stand up for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. He also hopes to end the criminalization of HIV/AIDS-related activities. His website states, “HIV criminalization laws are a relic of the AIDS scare… Such laws not only disproportionately target members of the LGBTQ+ community, but they also aggravate the issue of mass incarceration endemic to our state.”
Vogel is committed to his community and motivated by his family story after moving to Maryland as a toddler. He became a United States citizen in Baltimore in 2016, one week after Trump’s election. He has gone on to work on campaigns for politicians including President Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and President Biden. His extensive resume includes a Government master’s degree from Harvard University.
- Karoline Leavitt
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Leavitt is a 24-year-old Republican and New Hampshire native who will turn 25 right before the New Hampshire midterms. Leavitt’s website says, “My upbringing installed an unrelenting work ethic and a strong sense of personal responsibility in me at a young age, and it defines who I am.” She’s running for Congress in her state’s 1st District.
Leavitt wants to help veterans access fully-funded community care, regardless of disability. According to her website, New Hampshire has the third-highest capacity of veterans in the country. Leavitt also hopes to improve economic freedom by lowering taxes and less regulation. Having grown up in a small business family, she believes government should be less involved in people’s lives. She’s also a strong supporter of the Second Amendment.
Leavitt has worked as a Presidential Writer and later served as an Assistant Press Secretary in the Press Office under the Trump administration. So far, she’s gained support from other party members, including an endorsement from Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
- Sam Lawrence
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Lawrence is a 19-year-old college student running for election in the Ohio House of Representatives to represent District 47. He’s a Democratic candidate that has taken his campaign efforts to TikTok, where he’s gone viral. Lawrence has an impressive social media presence and has even gotten the endorsement of celebs like Mark Hamill from the Star Wars series.
His platform addresses the issues of climate change and advocates for the repeal of House Bill 6 (HB6). He also wants to highlight the importance of the working-class community in Ohio, and introduce legislation to raise Ohio’s Corporate income tax rate while also lifting the tax burden off the backs of the working class. Lawrence’s website lists transparency, cooperation, and equality as his core values. He’s passionate about correcting the corruption of Ohio’s government by fighting for agreement among Democrats, Republicans, and Independent voters. “We can find common-sense solutions to our issues,” his website says.
These candidates share a common desire to create change in their communities and offer new and fresh perspectives. Be sure you’re registered to vote and ready for the general election on Nov. 8.
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