Florida’s Maxwell Frost Is The First Gen Z Member of Congress

Frost, a community organizer defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish to become the first ever Gen Z member of Congress.

On Monday evening, Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost became the first Gen Z member elected to Congress. 

The 25-year-old community organizer won a House seat in Florida’s 10th District. Following his historic win, Frost tweeted, “History was made tonight.” He added, “We made history for Floridians, for Gen Z, and for everyone who believes we deserve a better future.”

The Congressional District he’ll represent includes Orlando and stretches to Apopka, a suburban city located in Central Florida. Per NPR he defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish by 19 percentage points. He will succeed Democrat Val Demings who was in the incumbent Senate race against Marco Rubio who won reelection, reports AP.

Frost leaned into organizing following the mass shooting in Newton, Connecticut in 2012. Prior to running for Congress, Frost was the national organizing director for March for Our Lives. He’s been vocal about his first job out of high school being one that allowed him to pour into his community – previously he also worked at the ACLU. 

“I believe we need more organizers in Congress, folks who come from this world. I mean, I’m a working class person. When I quit [MFOL] to run for Congress, most people who run for Congress have the money to not work for a year and just run — I don’t,” Frost said in an interview with Teen Vogue. 

This win for Frost is a step in the right direction for younger voices who yearn for representation in Congress. As a progressive candidate, Frost made it clear he was an advocate for stronger gun laws and that he hoped to get all Americans comprehensive health care with no co-pays. One of his campaign tenets included reimagining justice in regard to mass incarceration and demilitarization of the police.  In addition to this tenet, he plans to center climate change, student debt, and racial and economic justice too. 

When he joins the ranks of Congress next year he’ll add to the age diversity of the respected voting body. Right now more than 80% of Congress belong to Gen X or are a part of the baby boomer generation.