Young Republicans: A small group of candidates aims to reshape the GOP

Twenty-nine-year-old Joe Mitchell is running for a House seat in Iowa's second district, a race widely considered a tossup. If he wins in November, he would join a small group of candidates representing a new generation of Republican lawmakers. This cohort includes a handful of other Gen Z conservatives vying for federal office this fall.

Mitchell, a former state senator and real estate developer, has secured the endorsement of President Trump. His campaign focuses on what he calls an anti-corruption platform. He proposes a six-term limit for House members, a ban on congressional stock trading, and a personal refusal to accept donations from corporate PACs. He argues that this focus resonates with voters who feel disconnected from political institutions.

"I think people are looking for hope, regardless of what party they're in," Mitchell said. "They want to see young people get involved, and I hear that everywhere we go." He noted that Americans under 30 report high levels of economic anxiety and institutional distrust, making them receptive to these specific policy proposals.

The political landscape for young candidates remains challenging. According to Future Caucus, a nonpartisan organization, only 4% of congressional candidates nationwide this cycle were part of Gen Z. This generation was the least likely to advance past primary elections. While a majority of Gen Z candidates ran as Democrats, fewer than a third filed as Republicans. The remaining candidates were unaffiliated or third-party.

Two other young candidates are expected to win their districts on Tuesday. Maxwell Frost, a 29-year-old Democrat from Florida, is already in the House. In Colorado's first district, 29-year-old Melat Kiros is favored to win a reliably blue seat. In Wisconsin's seventh district, 26-year-old Republican Michael Alfonso is expected to carry a heavily Republican area. Alfonso is married to the daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. If elected, Alfonso would be the first person born in the 2000s to serve in Congress.

Alfonso, a political newcomer, described his age as his greatest advantage. "I have the same values of everyone here in the 7th [district]," he said. "Hard work, faith and family." Conservative organizers are working to build a bench of young leaders. Adam Pennings, executive director of Run Gen Z, an organization initially founded by Mitchell, said young people need a seat at the table to prepare for future leadership roles as long-serving members retire.

In late October, Run Gen Z announced endorsements for more than 220 Gen Z and millennial conservatives running across the country. This list includes Mitchell, Alfonso, and 28-year-old Riley Owen, who is running in Utah's newly redrawn first district. Owen acknowledged the difficulty of his blue-leaning district but stated that people are hungry for new faces and grassroots campaigns. Mitchell believes the future of the Republican Party is an America First party, a concept he says younger candidates are defining by asking how policies help the American people.