Gen Z in politics
Image: NBC News
Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old Floridian, became the first Gen Z candidate to win a congressional primary last week, beating out nine other Democrats. Frost may also be the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress, since his primary victory comes in a solidly liberal House district in the Orlando area.
But he isn't alone. This election cycle features seven Gen Z candidates overall, though four have already been defeated.
🔢 By the numbers… Generation Z refers to people born between 1997 and 2012. This is the first election cycle in which Gen Z candidates are old enough to run for the House, which has a minimum age requirement of 25.
- When combined with Millennials (b. 1981-1996), the two generations made up roughly one-third of the 2020 electorate. But their overall share in Congress currently stands at 7%.
🏛️ The big picture: One thing to keep in mind while reading the following numbers: the median age in the US is 38.6. America currently has its oldest Senate in history, with a median age of 64.8 at the beginning of last year – including six members over 80.
- The median age was slightly lower in the House, at 58.9, while the average age of the Supreme Court was 63.5.
- President Biden (79) is also the oldest person ever to hold the position.
👀 Looking ahead… GOP Gen Z’ers Karoline Leavitt and State Rep. Tim Baxter are both running in a primary for one of New Hampshire’s two House seats on September 13. The midterm elections are on November 8th. (Register to vote here.)
📊 Flash poll: Do you agree with America’s minimum age requirements to hold office? (House: 25 | Senate: 30 | President: 35)
See a 360° view of what the media is saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that Gen Z is inheriting a political system that’s never worked as long as they can remember – so it’s understandable if they’re early to develop cynicism about the world around them.
- Others contend that Gen Z’s surprising optimism about the future, as evidenced by many different public polls, should inspire the rest of the electorate to not be so jaded about the political process.
- “Generation Z’s surprising optimism should give the rest of us hope” –Samuel J. Abrams, LA Times
- “Generation Z Doesn’t Remember When America Worked” –Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic
- “Why Gen Z is done with Biden – and Trump” –Julian Zelizer, CNN
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Gen Z is inheriting America’s inept political and economic system that previous generations didn’t care to leave any better than they found it.
- Others contend that American institutions must do more to regain the trust of the public, especially those in Gen Z who have the highest rates of distrust in foundational institutions.
- “Gen Z’s putrid political inheritance” –Philip Leong, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- “How American institutions can win the trust of Gen Z” –April Lawson, Deseret News
- “Woke politics hijack my Gen Z classmates' hero's path” –Daniel Idfresne, Fox News
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