A new generation of Black Democrats is running in the midterms, aiming to inject a younger vision into an aging Congressional Black Caucus. And in some cases, that means primarying incumbents.
The wave of new candidates comes amid an identity crisis for the Democratic Party, which has splintered along generational and ideological lines as the party searches for new leaders in the second Trump era, both for this November and the open presidential race in two years.
“This is a new moment that requires different ideas, requires new energy and new perspectives and you cannot be a part of the system for 40 years and also be the one who’s going to change it for the next 40,” said Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, 31, who launched his primary challenge to 76-year-old Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) last year. “You’ve done the best that you could, and it’s time for other folks to be able to do the best that they can for the present and for the future.”
Young Black candidates say they’re motivated to run due to rising racial tensions, redistricting and the possibility of an end to the Voting Rights Act — and what they describe as an inadequate response from older generations that are fighting past battles.
“Our generation recognizes the fierce urgency of now,” Pearson said.
The CBC has grown exponentially since its establishment in 1971, currently boasting a historic 62 members — the largest of any of the affinity caucuses. But the average age of CBC members is 60 years old, and some of the oldest House Democrats are members.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, 85, has represented South Carolina for more than 30 years and plans on running again. At 88 years old, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has not ruled out running for reelection, despite growing concerns about her age. And 87-year-old Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), who was first elected in 1990, said she also plans on running for reelection this year.
These long tenures have started to worry some new candidates, they said in interviews.
“When I was born in 1992, this was the poorest district in the poorest state in the country,” said Evan Turnage, who is primarying 77-year-old Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). “Congressman Thompson was elected in ’93 and now today, I’m 33, and this is still the poorest district in the poorest state in the country.”
Turnage — a former senior staffer to Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — said these long-serving members have “failed” younger generations for too long.
“Just because you’ve been around the block for 30 years doesn’t mean you’re delivering results for the district, doesn’t mean you’re delivering results for your constituents,” Turnage said.
In a statement, Thompson said he has spent his entire career encouraging young people “to make a difference in the world.”
“If this is how Mr. Turnage chooses to make a difference in Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District, that’s his choice,” Thompson said.
The younger Black candidates — and current lawmakers — have generally pushed more progressive policies in their campaigns than CBC members who have served for decades. They’ve had a heavy focus on issues they say are of most concern to those in their generations, such as the cost of living and education.
“The Democratic Party has to adapt in order to survive. That work starts right now,” said Pearson, who gained nationwide fame in 2023 as a member of the “Tennessee Three” after he was expelled from, and then reelected to, the state Legislature for leading a gun safety protest on the state House floor.
“Black folks in this country are still suffering disproportionately in every single category, and without leadership to elevate those concerns, those worries, those issues in a meaningful way, we’re never going to see that change,” Pearson added.
He is challenging Cohen, who is white, in a majority-Black district based in Memphis that Cohen has represented for decades. During his 2007 campaign, Cohen expressed interest in joining the CBC, but caucus members quickly shut that down.
Cohen said in an interview that his tenure in Congress is actually a strength.
“I know the issues and I know the problems, I know the people,” said Cohen. “The way you get legislation passed hasn’t changed, really, in the 40 years I’ve been here. Some people think it’s about getting a megaphone and hollering or making some kind of a fuss, and I’ve done some of that in my younger days, and I still like to occasionally … but it’s a matter of having friends, having relationships, and being able to get the majority of votes to pass the bills. And I’ve done that all my life.”
The CBC has begun to see younger legislators enter their ranks in recent years. Rep. Gabe Amo, 38, made history in 2023 when he was elected as Rhode Island’s first Black representative. And in 2022, at the age of 25, Rep. Maxwell Frost became the first Gen Z CBC member elected to Congress.
“Our movement — from the civil rights era to the birth of the CBC itself — was born from the energy and courage of young people to stand up and do the right thing,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), chair of the CBC’s political arm, in a statement. “Our caucus today represents the breadth and depth of our community — from every corner of America — and folks whose families have been here for generations, those who are immigrants, queer, disabled, and more women and young people than ever before.”
The CBC PAC has already endorsed some young candidates this cycle, including California’s Lauren Babb and Arkansas’ Chris Jones. It’s likely the PAC will also endorse Adrian Boafo, 31, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss private matters, who is running to succeed 86-year-old Rep. Steny Hoyer.
But the PAC this year also endorsed 71-year-old incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) — who identifies as Afro Latino, currently chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has had a bumpy relationship with the CBC — over his 32-year-old primary challenger, Darializa Avila Chevalier.
As the age gap between caucus members and voters grows, an influx of fresh faces will be vital to regaining voters’ support for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms, said 25-year-old Courtney McClain, who is running for a red House seat in South Carolina.
“Within the party in general, we’ve had an issue of connecting with younger voters, and especially with young men,” said McClain, referring to the 15 percent of Black men who supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. “I really think a lot of people are more apt to vote if they can see themselves in the candidate as opposed to someone who has been there for many years.”
But these young Black candidates still hold a deep appreciation for the caucus, despite their concerns around age.
Turnage said he’d “love” to be a member of the CBC. Pearson called the caucus an “extraordinary institution.” And McClain — a onetime CBC Foundation intern and a fellow with the CBC Institute last year — said she would “definitely” like to be a member.
Ultimately, McClain said, the CBC needs young members if they hope to actually address the challenges facing the next generation.
“The legislation that’s being passed, a lot of the people that are currently in office won’t even be impacted by it, say, in the next 20 years,” McClain said. “But my generation will.”
