{
  "id": 14664799,
  "title": "Gen Z and millennials are running for Congress in record numbers, but few reach November",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/gen-z-and-millennials-are-running-for-congress-in-record-numbers-but",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T09:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Axios",
    "slug": "axios",
    "url": "https://www.axios.com/2026/10/15/gen-z-millennials-congress-gen-x-baby-boomers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gen Z and millennial generations are demonstrating a record-breaking surge in congressional candidacies, yet a significant portion of these hopefuls fall short before the November elections, according to a recent study. The report from the Future Caucus, a nonpartisan organization, reveals that 36.4% of candidates with known ages fall within the millennial and Gen Z age brackets, a 13.1% increase from the 2024 cycle. Despite this surge, only 21.2% of Gen Z candidates and 30.2% of millennials managed to progress past the primary stage by September, compared to higher percentages for older generations such as Gen X and Baby Boomers. A major challenge faced by the younger candidates is their lack of political experience, with only a small fraction holding any form of state legislative office. Among the candidates who did advance, those with prior state legislative experience had a higher success rate, reaching the general election stage at a rate of 40%. However, nearly 33% of Gen Z candidates were unable to secure a spot on the primary ballot, a stark contrast to the 18.3% for millennials and 9.4% for Gen X. The report also highlights that younger candidates, particularly those from Gen Z, are predominantly Democrats, whereas older candidates show a more diverse party affiliation. Despite the high dropout rate, there are instances of success, such as Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist, winning a primary against a 15-term incumbent in Colorado.",
  "summary": "Gen Z and millennials have launched their biggest bid yet to remake Congress, but roughly seven in 10 were out by early September, a new report finds. Why it matters: These two generations are struggling to clear the first hurdles of a political system that rewards experience, fundraising and established party support. State of play: A new report from Future Caucus , a nonpartisan nonprofit that…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}