Mitchell, Alfonso Lead Small Class of Gen Z Republicans Seeking House Seats
With just one current member of the generation in Congress, a handful of young conservatives are challenging incumbents in a competitive 2026 midterm cycle.
By Kwame Silva ·
The U.S. House of Representatives currently includes only one member of Generation Z. That number is set to rise as several young candidates face voters on Tuesday in the 2026 midterm elections. While the group remains small, their campaigns are testing the limits of generational representation in federal politics.
Joe Mitchell, a 29-year-old former state senator from Iowa, is running in the state's second congressional district. The race is considered a tossup as President Trump faces declining approval ratings. If Mitchell wins, he will join Maxwell Frost, the 29-year-old Democrat from Florida who is the only current Gen Z member of the House. Two other candidates are also expected to win their seats: Michael Alfonso, a 26-year-old Republican in Wisconsin, and Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democratic socialist in Colorado.
Mitchell holds the endorsement of President Trump. He is running on an anti-corruption platform that includes term limits of six years for House members and a ban on congressional stock trading. He has also refused donations from corporate PACs. Mitchell says voters across the political spectrum are expressing frustration with the current system and are looking for younger leaders.
Michael Alfonso is a political newcomer running in Wisconsin's seventh district. He is married to the daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who previously represented the seat. Alfonso called his age his greatest advantage during an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio. He noted that he shares the values of hard work, faith, and family with the district's residents.
According to Future Caucus, a nonpartisan organization, only 4% of congressional candidates this cycle are Gen Z. This generation was the least likely to advance past primary elections. Of the Gen Z candidates who ran, a majority were Democrats, while fewer than a third were Republicans. Adam Pennings, executive director of Run Gen Z, said his organization announced endorsements for more than 220 young conservative candidates in late October. The list includes long-shot candidates like Riley Owen, a 28-year-old Republican running in a Democratic-leaning district in Utah.
Mitchell describes the future Republican Party as an America First party that focuses on how policies help the American people. He believes this view is shared by Vice President JD Vance and other members of the Trump administration. The definition of America First has become a point of debate within the GOP, particularly regarding the U.S. war with Iran. Mitchell has not opposed the war, stating that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but he says he does not support endless wars.
