The main challenger of young Democrats is trying to overthrow old DPR members – but they say this is not about age

When the Democratic Party took stock from the first 100 days of Trump’s government and the upcoming 2026 midterm election – where the party was aimed at taking back control over the US House of Representatives – a series of political newcomers challenging old players and called for changes in the party.

The challenges come in the midst of a broader debate among Democrats about how to respond to Trump’s government and reach voters after bruising losses in 2024, and if the party needs a younger leader to revitalize or whether Democrats should avoid the risk of quarrels.

The debate is very large in recent weeks when the leaders we deserve to get, a political organization led by Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee David Hogg, the survivors of Parkland School Shooting and weapons control activists that can be issued that he will spend $ 20 million to help choose young leaders and including the main challenger to accommodate Democrats in a safe seat of democracy.

The group has not announced who supports it.

“Considering the loss that we have the last cycle, many people have expressed their frustration with our leadership,” Tamia Booker, a Democratic Veterans Strategy expert, told ABC News. “I think what we see now is branching from it, where people decide to run themselves because they believe that they are more effective leaders.”

Jake Rakov, 37, is the main challenger who took his former boss – Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrats representing the 32th District of California.

“I ran because we did need a new generation of Democrats to move if we wanted something to change in Washington; we could not continue to send the same decades after the decade, and expect things to change,” Rakov told ABC News in an interview.

Rakov worked for Sherman as Deputy Director of Communication in 2017 and has since worked in Los Angeles Politics and several campaigns.

But he slammed Sherman as ineffective, adding, “He likes to boast about seniority. He has been passed for leadership positions in the committees … seniority is not a problem if no one wants to work with you.”

Sherman, in an interview with ABC News, appointed his position as a member of the ranking in the House Financial Subcomite in the Capital Market, and that other experienced members were also often passed for leadership positions.

But Rakov did not attack Sherman on the policy. Instead, he said, “I think there is enough desire to change generation,” added that this is not about age but about people who want members of their congress “can be accessed and accountable and really meet voters where they are emotionally.”

Sherman, who spoke to ABC News, fired Rakov – what he mentioned did not work with him directly – as one of a number of expected challengers.

“I always have many opponents and I usually win with a very large difference,” Sherman said.

More generally, Sherman sounded skeptical records about the efforts of primary incumbents more generally.

“I see this effort to turn the Democratic Party into a circular shooting team … It is very difficult to see how their efforts will help us win the 2026 election. It means that we waste a lot of money in preliminary elections,” he said.

In the 7th Congress of Indiana Congress, which included most of the Indianapolis, George Hornedo, the 34-year-old Obama government alumni and the Presidential Campaign Pete Buttiigeg 2020, challenged Rep. The ruling Democrats, André Carson. Hornedo alleged that Carson, 50, who was first elected as a member of the DPR in 2008, has not been sent to the district.

“I ran because my community here in Indianapolis is still waiting for everything from safer streets to affordable housing to, really, only real leadership,” Hornedo told ABC News. “After nearly 20 years at the congress, it is clear that Carson Congress members only hold a chair but are not really doing anything with him.”

But Hornedo doesn’t think the difference is only about the age or time in the office. The separation, he said, was among members “like members of the Carson Congress” who think the institution is currently working for people, “versus those who are like me who acknowledge that, of course, we must try and protect what we have today, but we must also recognize that President Trump and Elon Musk actively dismantle days and days out.” “

Carson told ABC News that he welcomed the new voices but thought that Democrats needed to work together under the same goal – and he pushed back to Hornedo’s claims.

Carson refers to the bill that he has done that has been signed as a law, and his work across the hallway with the Republican party and the federal funds he has sent to Indianapolis as proof of his effectiveness.

But Carson also believes that his own background makes him a member of the Congress that is not traditional: “I think I am one of the few members of the congress who have lived in homeless shelters … Together with my grandmother, I was raised by the community.

In the nearest Illinois, Kat Abughazaleh, 26, a former reporter and researcher with large social media followers, announced in March that he would run for a congress in the 9th Congress of Illinois – currently represented by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 80, who has not announced whether he will run for the re -election.

Abughazaleh has several initial success in the front of the fundraising, collecting more than $ 375,000 in the first week of his campaign, According to federal Submission of Election Commission. He exceeds what Schakowsky fundraising in the entire first quarter.

Abughazaleh quickly emphasized that his journey was not “revenge” against incumbent – but he said the Democratic Party disappointed preliminary elections and criticism in general.

“It’s time for new ideas. If what we do is working, then we will not be in this chaos,” Abughazaleh told ABC News.

Abughazaleh refers to his own life experience in accordance with what is experienced by the younger generation-as a person from the generation who deal with school shooting training, medical costs that are not sad, and spend most of their income to rent-various distinguishing themselves from old members.

In a statement to ABC News, Schakowsky said he would decide on his own plan “immediately, but if I did decide to retire, there were dozens of talented leaders, advocates, and organizers in the 9th Congress district who knew our community and were ready to lead the accusation when we were back against the extreme Maga regime and embarrassing policy of Trump.”

He also said he “always encouraged more participation in the democratic process.”

On Wednesday, he Posted on x That he still hasn’t made a decision about running.

In Georgia, Everton Blair, 32, grew up in the 13th Congress district of Peach, which covered the East Atlanta Metro region. He made history as the youngest gay person, the first blacks, and was first elected as a member of the Gwinnett Regency Education Council, where he then served as a chair.

Blair now directs his views on the next role in a public office.

“I ran because of the district 13, my home area, deserves to get better leadership. And I think we learn very important lessons in November and we need to immediately respond to the chaos of this government with stronger, more competent and stronger leadership,” Blair told ABC News in an interview.

Rep. David Scott has held a seat for 22 years, after a career at the Georgian General Assembly. Blair argues that Georgia’s 113th Congress district needs a “nimble and present” leader – – Quality that is no longer seen in Scott.

“When someone serves in an elected office for more than 50 years, there are times when you have to ask when you are really ready to prepare for the next generation of leadership.”

Spokesman Scott did not respond to requests for comments.

Throughout the country on the west coast, Satikan Chakrabarti, 39, was conducting a major campaign against one of the most prominent Democratic Party figures – Emancy Pelosi’s speaker, who had represented the 11th District of California for about 38 years.

A former Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur and the founding engineer of the online payment platform stripe, Chakrabarti began his career in politics working on the Presidential Campaign of Bernie Sanders 2016.

Asked why he was sure he could shift the party’s heavyweight, Chakrabarti told ABC News that he had done it before. He served as a campaign manager for Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez during his victory in 2018 over the Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley.

Chakrabarti saw the echo of 2018 in 2025: The post-trap electoral environment marked by frustration between Democrats of the defeat of their party.

“The moment of change, in my opinion, is dwarfed by the time of change you see now. The level of anger in the Democratic Party because it fails is very large,” Chakrabarti said.

Chakrabarti added that those who want to fight Trump must also have the courage to fight their own party members, including PelSi, 85.

“One thing we know is that if we go to 2028 with a party to be what we are now, we are in trouble,” Chakrabarti said.

The PelSi office refused a comment request.

Booker, a strategist, told ABC News that younger candidates will generally have a challenge to build name recognition among voters – who may already have a strong connection with incumbent.

“As humans, we are very connected to who our people are. Many members who have been in this chair for a long time also have a deep relationship, and they also have a lot of money, and the deep relationship also extends to the donor,” he said.

“So, while all I am about supporting young people to run, they must be wise … so they can actually have a well-oiled campaign, because otherwise they will become, yes, challengers, but they will not be able to succeed in running this for this position.”