First Generation Z member, 25, elected to US Congress
A Florida man made history when he became the first member of Generation Z to be elected to congress after winning a race in Orlando on Tuesday.
Maxwell Alejandro Frost, 25, defeated his Republican challenger Calvin Wimbish, for the congressional seat vacated by former Representative Val Demings.
Frost ran in a district generally considered safe for Democrats, including many predominantly liberal parts of Orlando. Frost won the seat easily with 59% of the vote.
Frost raised about $2.6million in funds to power his campaign and got important endorsements from local advocacy groups.
One of those endorsements came from March for Our Lives, a gun control advocacy group founded by survivors of the mass shooting in nearby Parkland, Florida. Frost worked as a national organizing director for the group before he announced his congressional bid.
‘You represent the best of us, and now, the world will see just how much our generation is capable of,’ the group tweeted after his victory announcement. ‘We are excited to call you, a gun violence prevention ally and Gen-Z peer, a congressman.’
Frost said he received a congratulatory call from President Joe Biden after his victory on Tuesday night. ‘Still thinking about that “please hold for the President” call last night,’ the congressman-elect said on Twitter.
The President confirmed the call as he made remarks on Wednesday evening.
‘Last night I was pleased to call Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old who got elected,’ the president said. ‘I have no doubt he’s off to an incredible start in what, I’m sure, will be a long, distinguished career.
Biden himself became the second youngest person ever elected to the US Senate when he won the 1972 Delaware senate election at age 29.
Gen Z is broadly identified as those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s. A large portion of the generation has not yet reached voting age.
Frost is one of the first members of the generation to become eligible for federal office. Members of the House of Representatives must be over the age of 25 to take their seats.
One other member of Gen Z ran for congress in the 2022 elections. Karoline Leavitt, a Republican from New Hampshire, lost her election against incumbent Representative Chris Pappas.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.