Maxwell Frost elected to be the first Gen Z member of Congress : NPR

Maxwell Frost marching in Orlando’s Delight Parade.

Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

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Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Maxwell Frost marching in Orlando’s Delight Parade.

Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Democrat Maxwell Frost has received in Florida’s tenth Congressional District, in response to a race name by the Related Press, making him the primary member of Era Z elected to serve within the U.S. Congress.

Frost was closely favored to win the Orlando-based seat, which is solidly Democrat. He defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish by 19 share factors. Frost will succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who challenged incumbent Marco Rubio within the Senate. Rubio received his reelection, in response to the AP.

“Historical past was made tonight,” Frost tweeted. “We made historical past for Floridians, for Gen Z, and for everybody who believes we deserve a greater future.”

The 25-year-old’s victory marks a pivotal second for progressive activists who got here of voting age during the last decade and located their political voice in response to divisive points together with gun violence.

I began Organizing at 15 as a result of I didn’t wish to get shot in school. https://t.co/skaG2PGN6Z

— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) November 5, 2022

Frost, who has a background as an organizer, first grew to become an activist after the mass taking pictures in Newtown, Conn., in 2012. Earlier than working for Congress, he served because the nationwide organizing director for March for Our Lives, a bunch that advocates for gun management coverage.

Gun management continues to be a high difficulty amongst youthful voters. In response to current polling from Harvard Institute of Politics, 22% of respondents mentioned it was both their most essential or second most essential difficulty – in comparison with inflation (45%,) abortion (33%) and “defending democracy” (30%).

Gun violence prevention was a core tenet of Frost’s platform, together with supporting progressive insurance policies like Medicare for all and a Inexperienced New Deal.

Following the mass taking pictures in Uvalde, Texas, Frost confronted Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis at an occasion over the governor’s second modification views.

I simply requested @GovRonDeSantis to take motion on gun violence so we are able to save lives. That we lose 100 individuals a day.

His response? “No person desires to listen to from you!” We’re dying and our Governor is simply too busy serving to @RubinReport earn a living. pic.twitter.com/LUOWQq3kQU

— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) June 3, 2022

Frost raised over $2.5 million and was endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey in addition to the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

When Frost takes workplace in January, he’ll be part of a Congress identified for missing variety in age – given the present membership is the oldest in U.S. historical past.

However that might slowly be altering, in response to Amanda Litman, the co-founder of Run for One thing, a corporation that helps younger individuals working for state and native workplace.

“You see one 25-year-old run for Congress and win, you assume I can do that too, after which extra individuals step up. Somebody is the primary, extra persons are the second and the third, and the fourth,” she instructed NPR.

“I’m additionally very assured that as a result of political engagement and political exercise is a behavior, it is a muscle, you construct it after which it will get stronger and stronger and stronger,” Litman added. “We’re simply seeing the start of Gen Z’s engagement as political leaders.”