FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Monday, September 15, 2025
Contact: press@runforsomething.net

Run for Something Alumni Are Running for Higher Office
More than 20 Democrats under the age of 40 are running for Congress — and nearly half of them are RFS alumni

Now more than ever, Democratic voters are hungry for a new kind of leadership. They’re fed up with a party that isn’t meeting the moment and refuses to make room for the next generation of leaders who will. But the party’s old guard is not stopping a new wave of young, progressive, and battle-tested state and local leaders from running for higher office.

Across the country, Run for Something (RFS) alumni are launching statewide and federal bids, aiming to bring new, bold leadership fueled by years of community-rooted experience and a movement that refuses to wait its turn. They underscore the long-term impact of investing in state legislative and local races and reflect the continued energy of a movement born in the wake of Donald Trump’s first term. 

Of the more than 20 Democrats under the age of 40 who are running for Congress, nearly half of them are RFS alumni—and that doesn’t include the RFS alumni running for statewide offices like governor, treasurer, and secretary of state.

“This is exactly what Run for Something was built to do—identify, recruit, and support young people to run for local office so they can become our next generation of leaders,“ said Amanda Litman, co-founder and President of Run for Something. “Our alumni are proving that when you invest in emerging leaders early, they don’t just stay in office–they rise.” 

In the last two weeks alone, at least five candidates who have previously earned RFS’ endorsement announced runs. That includes: Texas State Rep. James Talarico, who entered the Democratic primary to challenge GOP incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Talarico, known for his thoughtful leadership and bipartisan work in the Texas House, has long been a rising star in Texas politics.

From city halls to state legislatures, these leaders have proven that local service is the most powerful training ground. What began as a direct response to the chaos of Trump’s first term has evolved into a full-blown pipeline of next-generation leadership. Today, Run for Something’s total pipeline includes over 230,000 future leaders who are running to govern, to lead, and to win. And since Trump was elected in November, over 67,000 people have raised their hands to explore a run—more people than signed up during all four years of Trump’s first term.

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Run for Something (RFS) recruits and supports young progressive candidates for down-ballot offices. Since its founding, RFS has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates across the country, including 18 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2024 election cycle. Today, RFS has the largest database of any other Democratic organization, with over 67,000 people reaching out since November with interest in running for office.