In Her Campus’ series Gen Leaders, we rapid-fire interview Gen Z candidates running for office in 2024. This month, Joe Vogel, who is running to represent Maryland’s sixth congressional district, shares a look behind the curtain of his campaign.
When elected to Maryland’s General Assembly in 2023, Joe Vogel became the youngest member and only the second Gen Z delegate elected to the state legislature. Now, he’s running for a seat in Congress, and if elected, Vogel will be Maryland’s first LGBTQ+ and Latino member, and the state’s first elected immigrant in Congress in over 200 years.
As the 2024 election approaches, all eyes are on the approximately 8 million Gen Zers casting their ballot at the polls for the first time ever. As a member of Gen Z, Vogel understands the importance of seeing politicians with similar lived experiences to their constituents. “I get to meet young LGBTQ+ folks and they share with me how excited they are about the fact that soon enough, they’re going to have a member of Congress who sees them, who understands them, who has similar lived experiences to what they’ve gone through,” Vogel tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview.
You can’t talk about similar lived experiences among Gen Z without talking about social media. Vogel understands that social media is a part of life for his generation, and has a very personal approach to his social media pages — for one, he manages his accounts himself. “I’ve been very intentional about using social media, not only to earn support for my campaign or legislation that I’m advancing, but really to showcase what it’s like to run for office and what it’s like to be a legislator,” Vogel says.
With just more than 8,400 followers on Instagram and 1,600 followers on TikTok, Vogel is able to read and respond to direct messages with “folks that historically haven’t engaged in politics before, who might not understand all the complexities of calling a delegates phone number or office number, or sending an email to the official office email,” he says.
Vogel understands why young Americans appear less likely to vote in 2024 than they did in 2020. He got involved in politics because of that same disappointment many Gen Zers feel today. “I was frustrated about the lack of progress we were making on gun violence,” Vogel says. “I was frustrated about the lack of progress we were making on climate change. I was frustrated about the lack of progress we’re making defending reproductive rights. I get it. I feel that frustration. But that frustration is what drove me to get involved, and that frustration is what’s driving people in our campaign to show up and volunteer and knock on doors and make phone calls.”
That frustration has also influenced Vogel to talk to as many community members as possible to better understand the challenges people throughout his district face. He is currently working on a package of bills to expand access to Narcan for young people — including capping the cost — on a national level. He also wants to fight for reproductive freedom, both in his state and on the federal level.
If elected, Vogel will become the second member of Gen Z on Capitol Hill, following Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL). Vogel knows it’s important to earn the trust and credibility of your colleagues when you’re the youngest in the room, but also acknowledges that Gen Z voices are greatly needed in Congress. “When we talk about democracy and voting rights, it’s our generation that’s going to inherit whatever is left of this democracy, and it’s on us to make sure [it’s] a strong and vibrant democracy,” he says.
Vogel understands how important it is for Gen Zers to have a seat at the table, and is ready to bring his experiences as a Latino, an immigrant, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community to Congress.
These responses have been edited for length and clarity.
What’s your go-to campaign snack?
A box of chocolate covered pretzels.
What song is on replay throughout your campaign?
Right now I’m having a Taylor Swift moment, but I’m also having a Noah Kahn moment. I’d have to say “Suburban Legends” by Taylor Swift and “Homesick” by Noah Kahn.
What are the top three issues of your campaign?
Job creation, mental health, and restoring abortion rights.
If you could only use one word or phrase to describe yourself, what would it be?
Tireless.
Vote by mail or in person?
Vote by mail.
What’s your No. 1 campaign necessity?
A phone charger or battery pack.
What’s your go-to fun fact about yourself?
I managed a petting zoo for two weeks.
What’s your favorite self-care activity to help keep you going on the campaign trail?
Getting a good eight hours of sleep and a good workout in the morning.