Why young state lawmakers are weighing the exit

The big picture: The report, first shared with Axios by Future Caucus, a nonpartisan nonprofit group for Gen Z and Millennial policymakers, finds that pragmatic young lawmakers are weighing whether to continue serving.

• This is one of the first detailed studies into Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers, with 89 interviews across 31 states.
• The report found that 81% of respondents said their legislative pay — state legislators averaged $44,320 in 2024 — does not cover the cost of living.

Zoom in: Lawmakers described routine death threats, armed protesters in galleries, and explicit fears for spouses and children.

• Several said the June 2025 assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband fundamentally changed how they assess the risks of staying in office.
• Case in point: Connecticut State Rep. Corey Paris, 34, reported death threats and calls for violence against him and his family last year after he posted on social media encouraging people to share information on ICE activity. ICE's official account on "X" joined a conservative pile-on in response.

Michael F. Smith, a Republican member of the Delaware House, tells Axios he's had to talk to his three children — ages 14, 11 and 5 — about their safety and urged them to tell him if they see something.

• "I've gotten threatened in person, in the mailbox, in email, you name it. hate to say it this way, but it's unfortunate how normal it is now," said Smith, 41, who participated in the study.
• Smith also holds a second job at the University of Delaware and thinks about quitting public service almost daily but his wife urges him to continue.

What they're saying: "When you add this element of political violence and safety and security concerns, it's like the straw that breaks the camel's back," Future Caucus President & CEO Layla Zaidane tells Axios.

• Zaidane says the problem isn't just that threats are rising. It's that many states don't have a clear, centralized way for lawmakers to report them or access rapid assistance, like a hotline or command-center–type response.
• "People imagine them as members of Congress who have staff and bodyguards. No. They're just regular people who everybody knows where they live."

Zoom out: A Future Caucus/Millennial Action Project analysis estimated that Gen Z and Millennials make up approximately 21% of state legislators. They've come of age in an era of economic disruptions, including the housing crisis of 2007-8 and the COVID shutdowns of 2020.

• Sisto Abeyta, a Gen X Democratic political consultant based in New Mexico, said these Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers grew up in an era of social media "immediate gratification" and want results fast.
• "Gen X...we have to wait for the Baby Boomers to leave and we suffered through years of being forgotten and dismissed. You have to put in the time."
• But Zaidane said Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers are experiencing a different economy and affordability today is especially hitting them hard.

Between the lines: The new report undercuts a common narrative that polarization alone is driving lawmakers away.

• Inside statehouses, many young legislators describe functional — even collaborative — working relationships across party lines.
• Outside the chamber, online harassment, media amplification and threats are doing far more damage to retention.
• Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle say the threats of political violence have them quietly treating their service as an "exit interview," weighing when — not whether — to step away, the report said.