Three Gen Z Republicans Seek House Seats in 2026 Midterms

A new generation of Republican candidates is entering the 2026 midterm races with a focus on institutional reform. Joe Mitchell, a 29-year-old former state senator from northeast Iowa, is running in the second congressional district. The seat is considered a tossup as voters express dissatisfaction with President Trump. Mitchell has received the president’s endorsement. If he wins, he will join the first class of Gen Z Republicans in Congress.

The group of young Republican House candidates is small. Mitchell is the only one competing in a competitive district. Michael Alfonso, 26, is running in Wisconsin’s seventh district, a heavily Republican seat. The remaining candidates are seeking seats in reliably blue districts. One of these longshots is Riley Owen, a 28-year-old Republican running in Utah’s first district. Owen’s district heavily favors Democrats following recent redistricting.

Mitchell bases his campaign on what he calls an anti-corruption platform. He proposes term limits for House members, capping service at six terms. He also supports a ban on congressional stock trading. Mitchell has rejected campaign donations from corporate PACs. He says these policies address the high levels of distrust that Americans under 30 feel toward institutions. "I just think that young people, on both sides of the aisle or no party affiliates, are frustrated with the system," Mitchell said. "They're frustrated and they should be."

Gen Z representation in the House remains rare. Currently, only one member of the House is part of the generation: Maxwell Frost, a 29-year-old Democrat from Florida. Two more candidates are expected to win seats on Tuesday. Melat Kiros, 29, is favored in Colorado’s first district. Alfonso is expected to win in Wisconsin. If Alfonso is elected, he will be the first person born in the 2000s to serve in Congress. Alfonso, who is married to the daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, told Wisconsin Public Radio that his age is his greatest advantage. He cited hard work, faith, and family as his core values.

Data from the Future Caucus shows that Gen Z candidates made up just 4% of congressional candidates this cycle. This group was the least likely to advance past the primary stage. A majority of Gen Z candidates ran as Democrats. Under one-third filed as Republicans. Another 16% ran as independents or third-party candidates. Adam Pennings, executive director of Run Gen Z, says conservative organizers are building a bench of young leaders. The organization announced endorsements for more than 220 Gen Z and millennial conservatives in late October.

Owen acknowledges the difficulty of his race in Utah. He says he is not naive about the political realities of his district. However, he remains optimistic that voters want new faces and fresh ideas. "People are hungry for a new solution, new faces, fresh ideas, and a grassroots campaign like the one we're running," Owen said. He believes the conservative movement has a bright future if it provides solutions that allow people to take risks and start families.

Mitchell describes the future of the Republican Party as an America First party. He argues this approach asks how policies help the American people. He believes Vice President JD Vance and other cabinet members share this view. The definition of America First has become a point of contention within the GOP, particularly regarding the U.S. war with Iran. Mitchell has not come out against the war, stating that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He cautions against endless wars. When asked if Trump’s agenda aligns with his definition of America First, Mitchell said it does, noting that people can interpret the term in various ways.