Young GOP Candidates Face 2026 Elections

Joe Mitchell, a 29-year-old former Iowa state senator and real estate developer, is campaigning in northeast Iowa to win the state’s second congressional district. He has secured the endorsement of President Donald Trump. If he wins his seat, Mitchell will join a new group of Gen Z Republicans entering the House. This would be the first time members of this generation hold congressional seats as Republicans.

The 2026 midterm elections are shaping up to be competitive. Voters are expressing dissatisfaction with the current administration, and Democrats believe they have a realistic chance to take control of Congress. Mitchell describes his race as a tossup. He is one of only a few Gen Z Republicans running for House seats this fall. One other candidate is running in a reliably red district. The remaining candidates are challenging incumbents in seats that typically favor Democrats.

Mitchell says voters respond positively to the presence of younger leaders. He argues that people across party lines want to see young people involved in government. "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 bases his campaign on an anti-corruption platform. He proposes limiting House members to six terms and banning congressional stock trading. He has also rejected donations from corporate political action committees.

Currently, only one member of the House is part of Gen Z: Maxwell Frost, a 29-year-old Democrat from Florida. Two more candidates are expected to win on election day. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democratic socialist, is favored to win Colorado’s first district. Michael Alfonso, a 26-year-old Republican, is expected to win Wisconsin’s seventh district. Alfonso is married to the daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. If elected, Alfonso will be the first person born in the 2000s to serve in Congress.

Alfonso described his age as his greatest advantage in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio. "I have the same values of everyone here in the 7th [district]," he said. "Hard work, faith and family." Running for Congress in one's 20s remains rare. The House requires candidates to be at least 25 years old. The oldest members of Gen Z turn 30 next year.

According to Future Caucus, a nonpartisan organization supporting young candidates, only 4% of congressional candidates nationwide this cycle are part of Gen Z. This generation is the least likely to win primaries. Most Gen Z candidates this year ran as Democrats. Under a third filed as Republicans. Another 16% ran as independents or third-party candidates. Conservative organizers say they are working to build a bench of young leaders at the local, state, and federal levels.

Adam Pennings, executive director of Run Gen Z, said the organization endorsed more than 220 Gen Z and millennial conservatives in late October. The slate includes Mitchell, Alfonso, and Riley Owen. Owen is a 28-year-old Republican running in Utah’s newly redrawn first congressional district. That district heavily favors Democrats. Owen acknowledged the difficulty of his race but said he believes voters are hungry for new faces and fresh ideas. He stated that people want to trust their government and start businesses.

Mitchell argues that the future of the Republican Party is an "America First" party. He said this approach asks how policies help the American people. He believes Vice President JD Vance and other members of the Trump cabinet share this view. The definition of "America First" has become a point of contention within the conservative movement, especially regarding the U.S. war with Iran. Mitchell has not opposed the war but cautioned against endless conflicts. He said he believes Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.