In an election year partially defined by Gen Z’s exhaustion with politics, Joe Vogel feels energized by it.
At 27 years old, the Democrat became the youngest Maryland state delegate in history. He won his legislative seat in 2022, replacing a 16-year incumbent who retired. Now, Vogel has his eyes are turned towards the Capitol and it is running a campaign to fill Maryland vacancy 6th Congressional District. Democratic Rep. David Trone currently holds the seat, but is running for Senate this year.
The average age of legislators in the House of Representatives is 57.9 years old, and Baby Boomers still make up the majority (45%) of the House by generation, according to Research Bank.
Right now, Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost is the only Gen Z member in Congress, representing a district in Central Florida.
“I’m glad we have someone from our generation speaking for us, but we need more people to join them,” Vogel said.
After winning endorsements from Senator Cory Booker, the Maryland State Education Association and others, Vogel’s next hurdle will be the May 14 Maryland primary for the Democratic nomination in the competitive district.
It’s full 16 candidates race on the Democratic side, pitting Vogel against people like Hagerstown Mayor Tekesha Martinez, Montgomery County Councilwoman Laurie-Anne Sayles and April McClain Delaney, a former Department of Commerce official.
Some of Vogel’s opponents and critics often comment on his age and lack of professional experience. A local article said Vogel appeared to “look like a teenager” on the floor of the Maryland State House.
“I don’t think I look that young, but, you know, I think the reality is that comments like that are really uncalled for,” Vogel said.
“We outperform people who are much older than me, right?” He continued. “We work harder than people much older than me. The reality is that people can say whatever they want about, you know, how I look or how old I am. I want people to focus on the issues we are fighting for.”
If Vogel made it to Congress, he says his unique experience as a Gen Z immigrant from Uruguay, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and his Jewish faith would provide a unique perspective for the House of Representatives.
“The reality is that we are contradicting the status quo idea that you have to wait your turn. The idea that ‘politics as usual’ is what got us here in the first place, right?” he said.
Vogel’s campaign highlighted the issues of gun violence, mental health, addressing the climate crisis and the fentanyl epidemic as top priorities.
Since being elected to the Maryland State House, Vogel has introduced legislation to allow mental health professionals who work in Maryland public schools to receive up to $30,000 in student debt relief. He also co-sponsored a bill to allow students to have telehealth appointments during school hours and proposed a mental health advisory committee.
But As a congressional candidate with more than $600,000 in campaign money raised, according to the FEC, Vogel is one of the millions of borrowers who are paying off student loan debt. He connects the two because he doesn’t have personal money to finance his campaign, like many who run for Congress.
“I have $40,000 in student loan debt. I don’t have the money to lend me $1 million or $2 million to run a campaign,” Vogel said, adding: “I want someone in Congress who understands what it’s like to be a young person in today’s economy, who understands what it’s like to have student debt.”
Vogel’s apartment is a clear representation of the cost of a congressional campaign at age 27.
In a building above his campaign headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, his one-bedroom apartment is modest. Empty white walls, plastic trash cans, and a rickety futon from Target fill a space that resembles the look of most 20-something dorm rooms or first apartments.
“I think it’s a reflection of how I spend my time. I spend my time working, I spend time, you know, in the Legislature getting things done,” Vogel said.
Although the 2022 midterm elections presented high participation of young voterssome level of political exhaustion also installed.
In a recent NBC News national poll, which asked voters to rate their interest in the 2024 election On a scale of 1 to 10, only 27% of voters aged 18 to 29 answered “9” or “10”, compared to 65% of all respondents.
Vogel’s message to young voters is not to be complacent.
“Give us a chance to prove that government can still work. Help us turn this page around and elect a new generation of leaders focused on solving these problems,” said Vogel. “Help us elect someone who understands personal experiences and feels urgency in addressing these challenges.”
“We have real challenges before us and we can’t just check,” He continued.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
