Gen Z candidates in Illinois' 9th District say it's about more than age
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81-year-old U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky will not seek reelection. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's decision to retire from the 9th District at the end of this year at age 81 has paved the path for a crowded field of Gen Z and millennial candidates.
Why it matters: Candidate age is becoming an increasingly important issue for American voters, Axios' April Rubin reported, with 67% of adults in a February YouGov poll saying they believed maximum age limits should be imposed on elected officials.
The big picture: Progressives are celebrating New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's win in last month's Democratic primary as a harbinger of young electeds, arguing those candidates are in tune with today's most pressing issues, like health insurance, high rents and inflation.
Yes, but: Some established Democrats, such as New Yorkers Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, declined to endorse Mamdani. His rise represents the push for progressives to break the current party mold, and more established players moving closer to center.
By the numbers: More than half of the newly elected House members in 2024 were in their 30s and 40s, according to Pew.
- Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980, were the most represented generation in the House, but boomers still dominated in the Senate.
- 74 millennials and one Gen Z-er were elected to Congress last November.
State of play: At least five candidates in the 9th are either Gen Zers or millennials: content creator Kat Abughazaleh (26), Skokie School Board member Bushra Amiwala (27), Schakowsky staff member Miracle Jenkins (31), state Rep. Hoan Huynh (35), and state Sen. Mike Simmons (42).
The other side: Older candidates are also running in the crowded primary, including former state senator and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss (47) and state Sen. Laura Fine (58).
- Other Democrats running include Bethany Johnson (46), Howard Rosenblum (59) and Bruce Leon (63).
- Republicans Mark Su (61) and Rocio Cleveland (41) are also running.
Zoom in: Abughazaleh, who was born five months after Schakowsky was first elected in 1998, launched her campaign in March before the representative announced her retirement. She has leaned into the power of social media and online campaigning.
- "We actually raise most of our money online and with our text and email program," Abughazaleh tells Axios. "I personally approve all of our emails. I personally approve our texts, and we make sure that they're not spammy."
- Amiwala, the other Gen Zer, celebrates her age as an asset, telling CNBC last year, "I think Gen Zers embrace authenticity more so than other generations in the workforce, which is a powerful skill I've learned from my peers: If you show up as your authentic self, and are comfortable in your skin, more people will gravitate to you and want to work with you."
Context: Abughazaleh says her appeal is less about age and more about experiences many older members of Congress lack.
- "A lot of our members of Congress didn't go through school shooting drills. Some of them don't even have kids that went through school shooting drills," Abughazaleh says. "They haven't had to pay out-of-pocket medical costs in a long time. I just got health insurance like two weeks ago."
- Amiwala agrees: "Merit and diversity aren't on a continuum; you don't either get the most qualified candidate or the young/diverse candidate, you get and should expect both."
What's next: The Illinois primary is March 17.