FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2025
Contact: press@runforsomething.net
Run for Something Hosts Press Call With Red State Democrats Defending Democracy
Young leaders from Texas and Missouri outline the fights to protect democracy and working families in red states
NEW YORK, NY—Today, two young Democratic state legislators from red states—Texas State Rep. Erin Zwiener and Missouri State Rep. Ray Reed—joined Run for Something (RFS) for a press call where they highlighted how the fight to defend democracy is playing out on the front lines and why Democrats can’t afford to ignore these critical states. Reporters interested in accessing a recording of the call should reach out to press@runforsomething.net.
Run for Something President and Co-Founder, Amanda Litman, kicked off the conversation by emphasizing that the future of our democracy is decided at the local and state level:
“The current Democratic Party leadership is ill-suited to this moment. The generation of leaders that got us into this mess do not have the skills or the stomach to get us out of it,” said Amanda Litman. “It is why we are all in on recruiting and supporting young diverse leaders to state and local offices all across the country—folks who are authentically driven to communicate, to solve problems, and who are connected and reflect the communities they serve.”
Reps. Zwiener and Reed discussed how they’re confronting GOP power grabs—from partisan gerrymandering to healthcare cuts—and proving that progressive leadership can thrive anywhere.
Zwiener, who’s leading the effort to push back on the redistricting fight in Texas, warned that Republican lawmakers are rigging the system to lock voters out of power.
“This summer, Trump picked up the phone and called Governor Greg Abbott and said, ‘I need five more seats out of Texas,’ and our governor said, ‘Yes, sir, when would you like those?’ This is incredibly harmful to the state of Texas, it’s incredibly harmful to minority voters, and it’s incredibly harmful to young voters because they are more likely to move around,” said Rep. Erin Zwiener.
Reed, who made headlines during Missouri’s redistricting sit-in, said the stakes couldn’t be higher for families.
“It took them five days to pass the congressional redistricting, from the Missouri House to the Missouri Senate, and sent to the Governor’s desk. That is unprecedented for the Missouri legislature,” said Rep. Ray Reed. “It’s no coincidence that two of the three members who led the sit-in are Gen Z. I think we represent the next generation of Missouri leaders. I couldn’t be more excited that our sit-in was able to engage and inspire a lot of people across Missouri.”
The call underscored Run for Something’s mission to invest in young, diverse leaders willing to take on the hardest fights and rebuild trust in government from the ground up.
“By investing in these young, pro-Democracy leaders, we can build the resistance now, and we can build the momentum, the infrastructure, and the bench we need to eventually win these states at the statewide or national level in the future,” Litman said.
As RFS looks ahead to 2026, the organization’s impact is already reaching the national stage, with several RFS alumni announcing campaigns for higher office in the last few months, including Texas State Rep. James Talarico running for U.S. Senate, Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas’ running to represent Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, and Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill’s bid for Nevada governor. Their announcements underscore the long-term impact of investing in young candidates at the local level and reflect the continued energy of a movement born in the wake of Donald 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 nearly 70,000 people reaching out since November with interest in running for office.