Who Are The Young Democrats Challenging The Old Guard As The Party Determines Its Future

The 2026 midterm elections, where Democrats will seek to regain control of Congress, are still over a year away. But some primary challengers are already gearing up for an intense campaign season, especially as young Democrats seek to change the face of the party and unseat veteran lawmakers.

A group of candidates in their 20s and 30s are already stepping up to challenge career Democrats for their seats in Congress, emphasizing their disapproval of the way the party has handled pushing back against President Donald Trump's actions in the first months of the administration.

Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old former chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one of the most notorious members of this cohort. She launched a bid in early February to unseat Rep. Nancy Pelosi, one of the most powerful Democrats in the House.

Likewise, last month, a 26-year-old social media star, Kat Abughazaleh jumped into the race to challenge veteran Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Since then, a handful of other new faces have joined the group, including Jake Rakov, 37, challenging his old boss, Rep. Brad Sherman from California, and George Hornedo, 34, seeking to unseat nine-term Rep. Andre Carson in Indiana's 7th District.

"They're not listening to what their voters want, and it's just backfiring on them," Sean Connor, a college student from Charlotte, North Carolina, told NBC News about veteran Democrats. Connor says he sees a lack of "real leadership" from the party but noted efforts from Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders to rally anti-Trump crowds as successful in mobilizing voters.

"Besides AOC, there's not a lot of young people in Congress to feel represented," Connor said. "I feel like the people controlling my life and controlling our government, they're decades behind what we really need."

The group of young Democrats challenging long-time Congresspeople are focusing their messaging towards voters on feeling "abandoned" by the party and how Congress seniority has disconnected lawmakers from their voters.

"You'll see people like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Sherman have been there for decades, who are still operating at the speed of 1996," said Rakov, who is running to represent California's 32nd District, encompassing Malibu and the Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

"There's nothing about age," Rakov said. "This isn't a generational argument, but this is about needing to actually get new energy and new voices into Congress on a regular basis. Congress was never meant to be a career."

For other candidates, taking matters into their own hands, served as inspiration to throw their names into the pool.

Abughazaleh, who is running to represent Illinois' 9th District, said she "got sick of waiting around and for someone to do what I thought should happen."

But it seems like discontent over career Democrats is not only coming from primary challengers. Last year, AOC challenged Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Ultimately, the New York progressive lost her bid, but her candidacy was considered to be an indication of younger lawmakers ready to take the mantle and direct their party toward the future.