Maxwell Frost runs to be first Gen Z congressional leader

Source: Axios

12 hours ago


Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) on Thursday launched a bid to become the first member of congressional leadership in either party from Generation Z.

Why it matters: The 27-year-old is running a very Gen Z campaign for the role, pitching programs for House Democrats to book digital influencers and artists and to revamp their online branding.

Driving the news: In a letter to his fellow House Democrats, Frost, the first Gen Z member of Congress, said he is running for co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.

The announcement came after Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) said she is not seeking reelection to the role, which helps craft House Democrats' political messaging.

Frost's candidacy comes as Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), another younger, tech-savvy member, is challenging Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) for her DPCC chairmanship.

What he's saying: "I plan to bring one of the founding principles of my office to the entire caucus – the idea that to be effective communicators we must try to bridge the divide between cool and consciousness and cede no form of communication to our Republican counterparts," Frost wrote.

Among his proposals is a booking program to connect lawmakers with "non-traditional media, local digital creators, micro-influencers on specific policy issues, as well as musicians and artists."

Another is to offer trainings for lawmakers and staff that "emphasize the importance of a cohesive brand for your image and offer tips and tricks for creating an external and internal style and writing guide."

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/11/15/maxwell-frost-gen-z-congress-leadership