Younger candidates are finding it tough to break into Congress

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The Hill's Headlines | PM - October 1, 2026

The Hill's Headlines | PM - October 1, 2026

More than 100 Generation Z candidates launched bids this cycle to run for Congress, per Future Caucus, but few have been successful.

The attempts to run highlight how young adults are frustrated with partisan gridlock and want to enter the political sphere, even if their attempts are largely falling short.

One possible reason for the lack of wins, says Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus, is that Gen Z candidates are more likely to run outside the two major parties, which makes it statistically harder to win.

“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 added that these younger candidates tend to have less access to wealth and fundraising compared to more established ones.

“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 has been a notable exception.

Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist, knocked off long-time incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in a high-profile primary in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District earlier this year. She will almost certainly win the safely Democratic seat in November.

Unlike most other Generation Z candidates, Kiros had the money and the energy.

She fundraised more than $1 million, according to Federal........

© The Hill