Influencer Deja Foxx seeks to be the youngest congresswoman elected in the U.S.

Tucson (USA).- Filipino-born influencer Deja Foxx, who at 25 years old aspires to become the youngest congresswoman in the history of the United States, says in an interview with EFE that her generation represents the future of the Democratic Party.

A worthy representative of Generation Z, she is an avid user of social media and as an influencer seeks to reach young voters and conquer this Tuesday in the Arizona primaries a first step to replace the deceased congressman Raúl Grijalva. "Without a doubt, he represented the future of the Democratic Party, we the youth are the future of the party, we always hear that politicians talk about needing a new generation of leaders, but when we run for office, the establishment often doesn't take us into account," he stated. With nearly a quarter of a million followers on Instagram, she considers herself the best prepared to have a vacant seat in Congress, especially now under the Administration of President Donald Trump who is attacking basic programs such as food stamps, low-cost housing and medical insurance.

"This is a very personal choice for me, many of these programs that are being cut at the moment made it possible for me to be the first in my family to go to college," she indicated.

From the age of 16, Foxx garnered attention when she confronted then-Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake and questioned him about funding for the programs of Planned Parenthood, a family planning organization.

In high school, she led a movement to improve education and students' access to sex education in her school district. At 19, her activism led her to be part of Joe Biden's presidential campaign and his vice president Kamala Harris in 2020. Consider that being an influencer has helped her to reach not only young people, but also a wide diversity of voters. As the daughter of a single mother, Foxx assured that she knows very well what it is like to have to work from a very young age to be able to bring food to the home and have a roof over her head.

You may be interested in: US Congress and New York State Assembly recognize Raymond Rodriguez

Foxx's campaign has garnered attention for raising nearly half a million dollars from donors across the country and having the support of other young influencers. During her most recent campaign event in Tucson, the influencer demonstrated her mastery of social media by constantly interacting with her followers, while her speech was broadcast live on all her platforms. Also present at the event was David Hogg, a 25-year-old activist who advocates for gun control after surviving the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in which fourteen students and three instructors died. The killing led him to become an activist and establish the Leaders We Deserve movement, which now supports Foxx in his campaign. "We need leaders in Congress like Foxx, not just people who know how to write and send 'strong' press releases, but who know how to raise their voices and really fight for us," Hogg told those present during the campaign event.

The youngest is a Hispanic from Florida

So far, the youngest member elected to Congress in recent U.S. history is Democrat Maxwell Frost, of Hispanic origin and who represents a Florida district since his election at age 25 in 2023.

The minimum age to run for Congress is 25 years old, according to the Constitution.

If elected, Foxx would be the youngest member of Congress to be elected in its history and also the first woman of Generation Z. But first, he will have to face Adelita Grijalva, daughter of the deceased Grijalva, Daniel Hernández and Patrick Harris, among other candidates in Tuesday's Democratic primaries, while the Republican Party candidates Daniel Butierez, Jorge Rivas and Jimmy Rodríguez face each other. The winners of the primaries from both parties are seeking to fill the seat left by Congressman Raúl Grijalva, who passed away on March 13th, and which will be decided in the special elections to be held on September 23rd.