These 10 candidates, all under 40 years old, represent the future of the Democratic Party
Every cycle, the DLCC spotlights hundreds of candidates in competitive races who have compelling visions for moving our communities forward. This year, nearly 1 in 5 of our Spotlight candidates is under 40 years old, reflecting the next generation of leaders who are stepping up to take action on everything from gun violence to climate change. These are the 10 state legislative candidates under 40 who are running in the most competitive races of the cycle.
Lack of affordable housing is a top issue for Gen Z voters in this year’s election, and community planner Nicholas Gonzales is committed to addressing this policy failure in the Arizona House. He currently works for a local non-profit to develop affordable housing in his community, and he’s ready to bring those skills to the legislature. Nicholas is also an entrepreneur who founded a coffee roasting business focused on fair-trade and sustainable business practices, and he knows how to support economic development that will uplift Arizona families.
In 2022, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes became the first Muslim woman and the youngest woman ever elected to the Georgia Senate. This fall, she’s running for reelection to continue opposing the GOP’s attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive health care. As a senator, Nabilah has sponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage, keep children safe from guns, and defend reproductive freedom.
As an educator in the Wichita Public School system, Veronica Gillette has dedicated her career to helping the next generation of Kansans thrive – regardless of their background. She’s running to flip her Kansas House seat blue and make necessities like housing, health care, and high-quality public education accessible for every member of her community.
Rep. Joey Andrews helped his parents guide their family business through the Great Recession and saw how many of his friends and family were struggling too. This experience solidified his commitment to Michigan’s working families. In the state House, he’s been a champion for labor rights, environmental conservation, and protecting Michigan youth by banning child marriage. Now, he’s running for reelection to keep up the fight for government transparency, LGBTQ+ equality, and reproductive freedom.
Rep. Heath Howard is running for reelection to the New Hampshire House in a seat Democrats need to hold to flip the chamber blue. Winning in New Hampshire is critical to stopping the state GOP’s extreme far-right agenda, which this year included pushing for a 15-day abortion ban, numerous attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, blocking gun safety measures, and even advocating for a first-in-the-nation proposal to loosen vaccine requirements for kids. Meanwhile, Heath has championed a slate of bills to provide medical patients with an alternative to opioid painkillers, as well as other common sense solutions that address the real issues facing Granite Staters.
Rep. Lindsey Prather is an educator running for reelection to the North Carolina House, where she’s been an advocate for public schools, affordable health care, and the environment. She’s driven by the belief that every child in North Carolina deserves the best education possible. That requires working to recruit and retain top-quality teachers and staff, a mission she’ll continue pushing forward.
Reproductive rights are a major motivating factor for young people in this year’s election, which is why having advocates like Rep. Willis Blackshear on the ballot is so important. After two terms in the Ohio House, Willis is now running to flip a seat in the Ohio Senate, serving his lifelong home of Montgomery County. Willis isn’t afraid to stand up to extremist attacks on our elections or reproductive health care, ensuring Ohioans have their rights and votes protected.
Anna Thomas is an environmental advocate and lifelong resident of Bethlehem Township running for the Pennsylvania House to unseat a seven-term Republican incumbent. She’s a champion for education, fighting to fund public schools at every level, pay teachers and staff a fair salary, and make state college and university tuition affordable for everyone. Anna is also a staunch believer that the government shouldn’t interfere in people’s personal freedoms, including the freedom to choose if and when to have children.
Kristian Carranza is a pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ+ candidate running for the Texas House because she’s tired of inaction on the part of elected Republicans. Kristian was raised by a single mom in San Antonio and understands the challenges facing Texas families firsthand. Now, after more than a decade as a community organizer uplifting the voices of women and minorities, she’s ready to fight for Medicaid expansion, fully funded public schools, and an end to the gun violence epidemic in the state capitol.
The next generation should have access to the tools they need to succeed, which is why Ryan Spaude is running to flip a seat in the Wisconsin Assembly blue and fight for fully funding public schools. The assistant district attorney is also committed to funding Wisconsin’s Child Care Counts Program and expanding Medicaid. Ryan sees the need for decisive leadership in Madison, and he’s ready to answer that call and stand up for the people of Wisconsin.
It’s critical that we elect young, diverse voices to represent us in the states. Only 6% of members of Congress are under 40, but nearly half of them got their start as state legislators, showing the power of the pipeline in shaping future national leaders. Donate now to have your gift split evenly among the 10 candidates under 40 who are running in the most competitive state legislative races in the country.
