Out with the old? Young Democrats are trying to convince voters to send a new generation to Congress

In a wave of political insurgency sweeping across Democratic strongholds, younger candidates are mounting serious challenges against long-serving party veterans, reflecting growing frustration with the aging leadership of the Democratic Party in the post-Biden era.

Sacramento City Council member Mai Vang, 40, represents this new guard as she challenges Rep. Doris Matsui, 81, who has represented California’s capital city district since 2005. Vang was still in college when Matsui succeeded her late husband Bob Matsui, who first won the seat in 1978.

“I’m not waiting for permission,” Vang declared at a recent campaign event. “Our communities are under attack, and we need leaders in this moment that understand the day-to-day struggles of our working families.”

The frustration fueling these challenges has intensified following President Biden’s reluctance to step aside in 2024, which many Democrats believe contributed to Donald Trump’s return to the White House. While grassroots Democrats previously directed their anger at Trump, many now see their party’s veteran leaders as part of the problem.

At a supporter’s house in Sacramento, Vang energized young professionals with progressive positions, including a commitment to dismantle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Supporter Abbie Morrissey expressed the sentiment driving many of these insurgent campaigns: “No more wash, rinse and repeat. We need to find young, engaged, energetic people that understand their young, engaged and energetic populations.”

Matsui, who was born in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, defends her record by pointing to her effectiveness in fighting Trump’s immigration policies and securing billions in funding for her district. “Experience isn’t about clinging to power,” she stated. “It’s about being effective when the stakes are highest for our families.” Matsui maintains a financial advantage with $785,000 in campaign funds compared to Vang’s $200,000.

In Mississippi, 33-year-old antitrust lawyer Evan Turnage is challenging Rep. Bennie Thompson, 78, one of Congress’s most senior Black lawmakers. Drawing inspiration from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s economic populism, Turnage argues that Mississippi needs more than Thompson’s civil rights legacy.

“Mr. Thompson has done a good job with being a part of the Civil Rights Movement, but what about the economic rights?” Turnage questioned. He contends that modern challenges require leaders who understand emerging technologies and can drive transformational change, not just accumulate seniority. However, with just $54,000 in campaign funds compared to Thompson’s $1.7 million, Turnage faces an uphill battle.

Some degree of generational change is already assured with the retirement of long-serving Democrats including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 85, Steny Hoyer, 86, Jerry Nadler, 78, and Jan Schakowsky, 81.

Yet other veterans are fighting to maintain their positions. In Tennessee, Rep. Steve Cohen, 76, faces Justin Pearson, 31, a former intern who gained national attention when Republicans expelled him from the state legislature for leading a gun control protest. Pearson argues that veteran Democrats have held the party back by staying too long, citing examples like Biden, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

“Time and time again, we are seeing people who are staying in positions of power who are good people but who are no longer doing it for the benefit of their constituencies but for themselves,” Pearson said. Despite his rising profile, Pearson trails significantly in fundraising with $350,000 to Cohen’s $1.8 million.

In Connecticut, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, 46, leads several younger Democrats challenging 77-year-old Rep. John Larson, whose health came under scrutiny after he suffered a seizure during a House floor speech. Bronin, a Rhodes scholar and Navy Reserve officer, has nearly matched Larson in fundraising.

“I’m running because I think our country is in crisis and the Democratic Party has been too weak and too cautious to meet this moment,” Bronin explained. His message is resonating even with older voters like Dan Schnaidt, 73, who said of Larson: “He’s done a good job, and we appreciate everything he’s done, but it’s time for new blood, for new ideas.”

Larson, like other incumbents, is emphasizing his progressive credentials and experience as virtues while casting his challenger as opportunistic. “Another Wall Street-funded corporate lawyer using this office as a stepping stone is not the kind of change this district needs,” his campaign manager stated.

As primary season approaches, these generational battles will test whether Democrats are ready for the leadership renewal that many in the party believe is long overdue.