The Mamdani Effect: Experts predict more millennial and Gen Z candidates will run for office

Zohran Mamdani’s historic election has sparked many conversations about a changing of the guard not only for New York City, but for the entire country, as some experts told ABC News that his victory could be a turning point for young millennials and Gen Z political candidates.

Mamdani, a two-term state Assemblyman who recently turned 34, campaigned on a progressive message that voters wanted a change from the status quo and that someone like him was in tune with the younger generation’s most pressing issues, such as high housing costs.

Grace Smoker, vice president of media strategy at Stu Loeser & Co, a New York-based political media consulting group, told ABC News that the mayor-elect likely won’t be the only candidate under 35 to make a splash in future elections.

“It’s absolutely a nationwide movement,” Smoker said.

The political reaction to Mamdani’s victory has already been large, according to a group that is working to increase the representation of millennials and Generation Z in elected offices.

run for something an organization that recruits and supports progressive candidates under 40 to run for local and state offices, saw 10,000 people sign up for its services in the two weeks following Mamdani’s victory in the June Democratic primary. 2,000 people have signed up since Tuesday, according to co-founder and president Amanda Litman.

“My expectations are that we will see those numbers grow as they see that they can win,” Litman told ABC News, referring to younger political candidates.

Experts say this surge won’t just be seen among Democrats, as millennial and Gen Z Republicans are also seeing a surge and seeking the president’s endorsement.

“We are already seeing evidence of senior members of Congress facing challenges from younger members, and they are being supported by voters,” Jonathan Hanson, a political scientist and statistics professor at the University of Michigan, told ABC News. “They say it’s time to change your face.”

Smoker, who did not work on Mamdani’s campaign, said the state assemblyman and other successful candidates under the age of 35 have taken advantage of this sentiment to successfully sell themselves and their ideas.

Smoker said those candidates grew up with the Internet and social media and have been taking advantage of online platforms to effectively sell their campaigns in ways their older counterparts can’t replicate.

He noted one of Mamdani’s first campaign posts on social media where he filmed himself casually talking to New Yorkers who voted for Trump last year and asked them what their motivation was. That video not only helped sell Mamdani’s focus on affordability, but also introduced him to the young voting bloc that helped strengthen his campaign.

Mamdani also bolstered his online presence with street-level campaigns, going from neighborhood to neighborhood and inviting New Yorkers to join him as he made his speech and listened to communities, Smoker said.

“It’s not about making a TikTok, it’s about understanding when you’re embarrassed,” he said. “I think that’s the most important factor we’re seeing in these successful campaigns. They know how to communicate and listen.”

Hanson said high polarization and dissatisfaction with the current state of politics have led to increasing acceptance of younger candidates by older voters.

“People are frustrated with the things that are happening and they are going to mobilize. Along with that will come candidates who want to ride the wave,” he said.

Litman agreed, saying the idea of ​​having a smaller resume is not a deal-breaker for voters.

“They’re realizing, ‘Yes, the younger ones may not have experience, but we need something new,'” he said.

Litman added that his organization has helped thousands of progressive millennial and Gen Z candidates win in local elections over the past eight years. According to the organization, more than 30 Run for Something alumni will run for state or federal office next year.

But it is not only left-wing candidates who are riding the wave.

Hanson noted that the Republican Party, particularly the MAGA wing, has been successful in recruiting younger men to its cause in recent years, and that demographics shifted toward Trump last year, according to polls.

Unlike Democratic and progressive candidates under the age of 35, Hanson noted that millennial and Republican Gen Z candidates are competing more for the acceptance and approval of Trump and his MAGA allies than for challenging the status quo.

Hanson cited the large demonstrations organized by Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA as examples of this movement.

“There are younger faces, but it has been more difficult for the candidates to distinguish themselves outside the movement,” he said. “I think there’s a similar desire to get involved and be part of this vision with America that is more consistent with what Trump aspires to.”

Hanson added that typically the minority party in power sees the most retirements, and there will likely be fewer changing of the guard in 2026 for the Republican Party.

Smoker also noted that among younger Republicans there is more emphasis on being a voice of the party than on being an elected member.

“Karoline Leavitt ran for Congress in 2022 and lost, but now she’s the White House press secretary,” he said. “Still, it was a big step forward politically for her, and she’s still under 30.”

Hanson said generational change will be inevitable and likely necessary to better reflect the country’s population and its needs.

The average age of members of the House is 57.5 years and in the Senate 64.7 years, according to Bank investigationcompared to the country’s average age of 39.1 years, according to the US Census.

“Whatever comes next, it’s going to be different,” Hanson said of the political landscape. “It’s going to be a period of rebuilding and a new generation of leaders will emerge from this.”