The 2026 US midterms marked a milestone for Generation Z, people born between 1997 and 2012. Young candidates from both major parties won seats, from Congress to state legislatures. Whatever you think of their policies, their message to other young people is the same: you do not have to wait your turn.
Melat Kiros, Democrat, Colorado
Melat Kiros, 29, won Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, which covers most of Denver. She is the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress and the first Black woman to represent Colorado in the US House. Born in Ethiopia, she worked as a lawyer and a barista and is a democratic socialist. Her campaign says more than 8,000 volunteers knocked on over 140,000 doors.
Michael Alfonso, Republican, Wisconsin
Michael Alfonso, 26, won Wisconsin’s 7th District, a large rural area in the north of the state. He will be the youngest member of Congress and, according to NPR, the first person born in the 2000s to serve there. He worked construction jobs while studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and campaigned on affordability. He is the first Gen Z Republican in Congress.
Daniel Darris-O’Connor, Democrat, Massachusetts
At the state level, 19-year-old Daniel Darris-O’Connor won a seat in the Massachusetts House, defeating an eight-term Republican incumbent by a narrow margin. He was elected to his town’s Select Board at 18 and had served as a student representative on the school committee. While knocking on doors, some voters assumed he was an intern for a candidate. He focused on local issues like the cost of living.
Still rare
Running young is hard. According to Future Caucus, a nonpartisan group that supports young lawmakers, 117 Gen Z candidates filed to run for Congress in 2026, but only 24 made it to the November ballot. The minimum age for the US House is 25 and for the Senate 30, so much of Gen Z cannot run for Congress yet. State and local offices are often where young people start.
How to start
- Join a youth council, student board or school committee.
- Volunteer for a campaign you believe in, from any party.
- Look at local offices: town councils and school boards often have low age limits.
- Find a mentor. Groups for young candidates exist across the political spectrum.
Sources
- NPR via KUNC: Melat Kiros becomes first Gen Z woman in Congress
- theGrio: Kiros makes history
- CBS News: Future Caucus data
- Wisconsin Public Radio: Alfonso wins 7th District
- NPR via KUOW: Gen Z Republicans running for Congress
- Boston 25: 19-year-old wins Mass. House seat
- TNND: Darris-O’Connor background
