Two Gen Z candidates elected to youngest Congressional class

Republican Michael Alfonso, 26, and Democrat Melat Kiros, 29, have become the youngest members of the US Congress following the midterm elections. Alfonso, who defeated Fred Clark in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, is the first person born in the 2000s to serve in the House of Representatives. Kiros, who won Colorado's 1st Congressional District, is the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress.

Alfonso, a political newcomer and son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, campaigned on an "America First" platform with strong support for President Donald Trump. His campaign focused on conservative priorities including education, healthcare, and vocational training. Kiros, an Ethiopian-born lawyer and democratic socialist, previously defeated longtime incumbent Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary and has urged an arms embargo on Israel.

The two join Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost, 29, the first Gen Z member of Congress elected in 2022, who secured another term in 2026 without facing an opponent. In the Senate, James Talarico, 37, became the youngest member after winning a seat in Texas.

Read the full story at TRT World.