Photos: Wikimedia Commons
NEW YORK, NY — Today, Run for Something (RFS), a national organization that recruits and supports the next generation of progressive leaders for state and local office, endorsed 51 young, diverse, community-driven candidates across 27 states for races from school boards to judicial positions and state legislatures. With this latest class, Run for Something has surpassed its goal of endorsing at least 300 young progressive leaders this election cycle, with several more endorsement classes to come.
“This new class of candidates represents the kind of bold new leaders our country needs, and we’re excited to support them as they look to bring change to their local communities,” said Amanda Litman, Co-Founder and President of Run for Something. “Reaching over 300 endorsements this cycle is a massive milestone, and this class of young leaders proves that the appetite for positive, community-driven leadership is stronger than ever.”
This latest class continues Run for Something’s commitment to recruiting and supporting the next generation of progressive leaders. The May class includes 30 first-time candidates, 11 Gen Z candidates, and more than 40% are renters — reflecting the organization’s efforts to recruit leaders who have the same lived experiences as the communities they seek to represent. Endorsed candidates include the lead plaintiff in the Phillips vs. Tennessee lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on abortion, a formerly unhoused Gen Z candidate who now helps people find stable housing, voting rights experts, health care workers, and more.
Learn more about Run for Something’s latest endorsements here and see the full slate of candidates below:
Arizona
Jacob Martinez, State Representative, District 9
Nick Willis, Mesa City Council, District 4
Arkansas
Letisha Hinds, State Representative, District 16
California
Aram Ayra, Riverside City Council, Ward 2
Delaware
Kira Alejandro, New Castle County Council, District 3
District Of Columbia
Rini Sampath, Washington, DC, Mayor
Florida
Jane Aman, State Representative, District 37
Matthew Crowley, State Representative, District 48
Georgia
Bentley Hudgins, State Representative, District 90
Blake Robinson, State Representative, District 177
Juan Estrada, State Representative, District 109
Nico Parra, State Representative, District 109
Indiana
Victoria Martz, Indiana Statehouse, District 55
Iowa
Heather Sievers, State Representative, District 40
Kristofer Williams, State Representative, District 8
Tavis Hall, Black Hawk County Supervisor, District 4
Kansas
Kelsey Stock, State Representative, District 121
Kentucky
Tyler Murphy, Fayette County School Board of Education, District 2
Maryland
David Plotts, Wicomico County School Board of Education, District 7
Massachusetts
Connor Murray, State Representative, District 18
Jordan Korgood, Governor’s Council, District 4
Michigan
Joseph McClusky, State Representative, District 86
Candace Calloway, State Representative, District 5
Daniel Rivera, Wyoming City Council, At-Large
Nevada
Brenda Zamora, Clark County School District Trustee
Jovan Jackson, State Assembly, District 6
Adam Price, Henderson Mayor
Stephanie Itkin-Goodman, Clark County Public Administrator
Val Thomason, State Assembly, District 10
New Jersey
Mallory Craig, Somerville Borough Council, At-Large
Austin Edwards, Esq., Trenton Mayor
New York
Kate Leon, Ulster County Legislator, District 3
Tunisia Morrison, State Assembly, District 32
David Orkin, State Assembly, District 38
Jo Bennett, Onondaga County Legislator, District 15
Justin Chaires, Schenectady City Council
Lydia Green, State Assembly, District 52
Morgan Evers, State Assembly, District 81
North Dakota
Taylor Johnson, State Representative, District 35
Ohio
Jonathan Bradner, State Representative, District 29
Shelby Kimball, State Representative, District 60
Oklahoma
Indigo Oliver, State Representative, District 47
Pennsylvania
Joanna Smith, State Representative, District 120
Kathryn DiVittorio, State Representative, District 4
South Dakota
Zak Okuwe, Sioux Falls City Council
Tennessee
Allie Phillips, State Representative, District 75
Texas
Nydia Cardenas, Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 4
Washington
Hannah Sabio, State Senate, District 43
Natasha Laitila, State Representative, District 29, Position 2
West Virginia
Joe Solomon, City Council, At-Large
Wisconsin
Ismael Luna, State Assembly, District 8
Run for Something recruits and supports young progressive candidates running for state and local offices. Since its founding, RFS has helped elect over 1,600 candidates across the country, including 43 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2025 election cycle. Today, RFS has the largest database of any other Democratic organization, with nearly 80,000 people reaching out since November 2024 with interest in running for office.
