Florida Turns Red Once Again, but with a Gen Z Threat

Congressman-elect Maxwell Frost speaks at a campaign press conference (Image courtesy of the Frost Campaign).

No longer a swing state, Florida has turned fully Republican once again by re-electing both a Republican Governor and Senator, but also historically electing the first ever Gen Z member of congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost.

Article by Georgia Simon, Associate White House Reporter

ORLANDO, Fla. - The 2022 Midterm Elections took place on Tuesday, where Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was re-elected, defeating former Republican governor turned Democrat, Charlie Crist, as well as incumbent Senator Marco Rubio, who stood his ground, defeating Congresswoman and former Orlando Police Cheif, Val Demings. 

Florida has not seen a democratic governor in over 25 years and this year is no different. Governor DeSantis won with an almost 20-point margin by flipping the longstanding democratic counties of Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. At his victory party, he said “We not only won the election, we have rewritten the political map.” There is currently not one statewide elected Democrat in Florida, which proves the conservative balance even more. 

DeSantis’s huge win has now put him at the forefront of the race for the Republican nominee in the 2024 Presidential election. Former President Trump has come to see DeSantis has an opponent for the nominee spot and is already in attack mode.

At a past rally, President Trump called DeSantis “DeSanctimonious.” Also in an interview, President Trump told reporters that the Florida governor should not run in 2024 because if he does, the former President said “I would tell you things about him that won't be very flattering — I know more about him than anybody — other than, perhaps, his wife."

Although Florida has been turning red for many years, congressional counties have still managed to stay blue, including Florida’s 10th Congressional District, which has elected the first ever Generation Z (Gen Z) and Afro-Cuban elected congressman, Maxwell Frost (D). Congressman-elect Frost is only 25 years old.

Generation Z is a term used for people born between 1997-2012. This is the first election ever where Gen Z is allowed to run for Congress. In order to run, candidates have to be 25 years of age to be a House of Representative, 30 for a Senator, and 35 for a President. 

Not many 25 year olds have run for congress in the past. Madison Cawthorn, a Republican from North Carolina, was elected in 2020 where he served for 1 term. At the time, he was 25. Before that, the last 25-year-old to be elected was in 1974, Thomas Downey, who was a Democrat from New York. 

Frost was also not the only member of Gen Z running in the midterms. Karoline Leavitt, a 25-year-old former Trump aide, was a far-right candidate for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District race, before losing to incumbent democratic congressman Chris Pappas. 

Florida's 10th district is an Orlando-based seat that Frost was greatly favored to win in, against Republican opponent Calvin Wimbish. Congresswoman Demings held this seat prior to her unsuccessful campaign for Senate. 

“History was made tonight. We made history for Floridians, for Gen Z, and for everyone who believes we deserve a better future. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to represent my home in the United States Congress,” Frost said in a tweet. 

Frost is a progressive activist that started organizing at just 15 years old. His journey started after the Sandy Hook mass shooting in 2012. He served as national organizing director for March of Our Lives, a gun control advocacy group started after 17 students were killed at a high school in Parkland, Florida. He also worked for ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union. 

Frost concentrated his campaign on issues that younger voters care most about. This includes abortion access, gun control, universal health care, and fighting climate change. 

During his campaign, Frost raised more than 2.5 million dollars. He has also nationally made a name for himself after getting endorsed by fellow candidates like Massachusetts Senators Ed Marky and Elizabeth Warren as well as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. He also received an endorsement from the Congressional Progressive Caucus. 

In his victory speech in Orlando, Frost announced “Central Florida, my name is Maxwell Alejandro Frost, and I’m going to be the first Generation Z member of the United States Congress!”