Young Democrats have called for a rebrand. They're vying to replace the party's old guard

PHOENIX — Deja Foxx celebrated her April birthday in a way most 25-year-olds don't. The extra candle meant she was now eligible to represent Arizona in Congress, and Foxx marked the occasion with a fundraiser.

She's part of a wide-ranging group of young Democratic candidates, many running to replace older incumbents, who have grown restless waiting for their turn to lead their party back to power.

After a crushing 2024 election loss, they say the party desperately needs a rebranding — and young leaders should steer it.

In southern Arizona on Tuesday, Foxx is one of several Democrats hoping to step into a deep blue seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a longtime political power broker in Tucson. He had become one of the most senior lawmakers on Capitol Hill over two decades in Congress. Grijalva's daughter, Adelita, is one of the contenders, and three Republicans are vying in the GOP primary.

But the push for younger leaders won't end there. In next year's midterm elections, primary challengers have already begun to emerge in states like California and Indiana that will give Democratic voters choices between longtime lawmakers and younger candidates.

In Georgia, for example, 80-year-old Democratic Rep. David Scott's decades-long legacy could end with a primary he's expected to join. This has drawn challengers fed up with his refusal to step aside despite years of concern about his declining health and rare public appearances. The primary got crowded almost a year after former President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election race amid similar scrutiny over his age.

Challenging well-connected candidates can be daunting, but progressive leaders say the moment calls for urgency.

''Passing of the torch implies the leaders are handing it off,'' said Amanda Litman, head of a group called Run for Something that bolsters progressive young candidates. ''What we're seeing right now is, the new generation is taking the torch. They're not waiting for it to be passed.''

Campaigning online

Many Boomer and Gen Z candidates alike have largely abandoned the traditional playbook of spending millions on TV ads in favor of TikTok and social media. But it's a pivot that older political hands would recognize from an older playbook: meeting voters where they are.

Foxx, a digital strategist, led influencer strategy for Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign bid. On TikTok, she speaks to nearly 400,000 followers, saying she'd be the first woman of ''our'' generation elected to Congress. In 2022, Florida voters elected the generation's first congressman — Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost. The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, which Frost co-chairs, has endorsed Adelita Grijalva.

Foxx has leaned into popular Gen Z internet slang in branding her district tour ''Crashout or Congress.''

''Does the news make you feel like you're about to crash out? Be honest,'' Foxx posted.

Foxx said her campaign turned a corner after a primary debate in late May, when some clips of her performance drew the eyes of millions and helped spark a fundraising boost.

If Scott seeks another term in his suburban Atlanta district, he'll face several candidates in the Democratic primary next May, including microbiologist and state Rep. Jasmine Clark, 42; state Sen. Emanuel Jones, 66; and 33-year-old Everton Blair, former chair of the state's largest school district. Scott's campaign did not respond to requests for an interview.

Clark racked up 7,000 TikTok followers after a popular influencer reposted her. She occasionally pops in with solutions to people's problems on NextDoor and is sometimes recognized as a podcast host instead of a state representative. She says Republicans have done a better job at saturating social media with their messaging.

''Instead of looking at Republicans and wagging our fingers at them, we could take some lessons from them,'' she said.

Message or messenger?

Voters have been crushed by high living costs, Clark said, but Republicans, not Democrats, have been the ones to tell people their pain is real — even though Democrats have better ideas for fixing things.

Blair agreed that Democrats have better policy prescriptions for addressing voters' economic concerns, but he said too many longtime lawmakers have stifled the party's ability to get that message across. He said President Donald Trump is fattening the wallets of billionaires but cheating low- and middle-income voters ''out of the American dream.''

''We have an incumbent who is just not doing the job, and we need a better fighter,'' Blair said. ''The stakes are just too high.''

Young people have grown up in a political climate dominated by algorithms, said 21-year-old Akbar Ali, first vice chair of the Democratic Party in Gwinnett County, home to some of Scott's district. That gives them a built-in understanding of how information spreads today, he said, but doesn't replace on-the-ground outreach to voters of all ages.

He said Scott's physical absence is palpable, both in the community and as a voice in Congress.

''A lot of people are upset on a national level because we can't hit back with enough vigor," he said.

Adelita Grijalva carries a household name in Tucson and is regarded as the front-runner. Former state lawmaker Daniel Hernandez, who is credited with helping save then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' life after an attempted assassination over a decade ago, is also in the mix of Democrats.

To Foxx, Grijalva benefits from her ''legacy'' last name.

Grijalva, who has received several endorsements, including from Democratic U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, has pushed back. She said she brings her own credentials to the table. Her father was progressive and antiestablishment, and she said she is, too.

But Foxx, who benefited personally from some government programs the Trump administration has slashed or is looking to slash, said Democrats need to do more to reach new voters.

''We are bringing people into this party, into this democracy, who have felt left out — by and large young people and working-class folks,'' Foxx said.

A positive vision

In New York City, 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani recently won the mayor's race with an upbeat campaign that leaned heavily on TikTok and emphasized finding new ways to make city life more affordable.

In an era where so many young people doubt they'll ever be better off than their parents, they're increasingly willing to ditch pragmatism for bold policy platforms, said David Hogg.

Hogg was removed from his leadership role with the Democratic National Committee, which said his election broke party rules. His decision not to run again followed his push to oust long-serving Democrats in safe congressional seats. He has not backed away from his vow to primary ''asleep-at-the-wheel'' Democrats with fresher faces.

People of all ages want a fighter who understands what's at stake as Trump cuts Medicaid and other programs that millions of Americans rely on, Hogg said. That's why his political action committee, Leaders We Deserve, endorsed Foxx.

Young voters were key to Democratic wins in recent years, but some swung to the right as Trump made gains in 2024. Hogg said he's looking for candidates to ''win them back'' by talking about how change happens.

Older candidates can do that too, he said, but for better or worse, young people aren't yet ''jaded'' by politics.

''In this dark moment, we need people who can provide us a general sense of hope, as crazy that can feel sometimes,'' Hogg said. ''To believe that maybe things won't be as screwed up as they are now forever.''

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Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. She reported from Atlanta.