Youngest U.S. congressman visits UNC Young Democrats ahead of upcoming election

About 50 UNC students gathered on Tuesday morning at a house on Franklin Street to hear from Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), the youngest member of the U.S. Congress.

Frost, the representative for Florida's 10th congressional district and the first Generation Z member of Congress, spoke to members of UNC Young Democrats at 11 a.m. He said his visit was part of a tour to connect with young voters and rally support behind the Harris-Walz presidential ticket in light of November's election.

After leaving North Carolina, Frost's tour will continue in Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania. A bigger tour will come in about a month, he said. 

“The reason we're doing these smaller events with the people, the organizers, and not big stuff right now, is because y'all are the reason we are gonna win,” Frost said to the attendees — mainly young people.

UNC Young Democrats Vice President Cecilia Derlon said the last-minute event was a pleasant surprise for the Young Democrats to host, and that she was glad to have seen a high turnout.

“He really highlighted all the issues that are important for young people, and how crucial this election is and how much is at stake,” she said.

Frost first shared his history of fighting for gun control, from attending the Sandy Hook memorial service to working with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

He then spoke about the Harris campaign, emphasizing that there are only 70 days left before the Nov. 5 election.

UNC first-year Ashley Clarkson said she thought it was important to hear Frost’s personal stories in his speech. She said the talk inspired her before the election.

“We have 70 days left, and we have to make the most of it,” she said.

Frost said that the attendees should give other students a political home and organize together for the upcoming election. He said the students need to mobilize their peers because encouraging young voters turns people into lifelong voters.

“Don't shame people for not wanting to be involved. Ask them questions, because honestly, most people who have a problem with the system or don't want to be involved have legitimate reasons. But the question is, how do we handle that?” he said.

Instead of speaking from a conference hall or academic building, Frost addressed students from the home of Betsy Blackwell and her husband, John Watson.

Watson said that in the past months, they’ve opened their home to progressive candidates including N.C. Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs, N.C. Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, the democratic gubernatorial candidate. 

“We're delighted to be able to do it, and today's event with all these kids was especially exhilarating,” Watson said.

Senior Class President Timothy McLendon said this was the first time he felt like he was listening to a member of Congress who actually understood and sounded like him.

“That was something that I think is very valuable — because a lot of them can be sort of unresponsive, sort of untouchable — that he just felt like someone I could come up to and get a cup of coffee with,” he said.

McLendon said that he and Senior Class Vice President Imani Chabikuli plan to use their resources to host nonpartisan events on campus designed to get the senior class ready and willing to vote.

He said this year has had one of the craziest campaigns to date, but that it’s gotten more people engaged in politics and aware of how it affects them.

Frost said it was an honor to speak to the Young Democrats.

“It's a lot easier to speak to a room of people who want to hear what you have to say, right?” he said. “And this was a room of students who are engaged, who want to be involved, who came to hear this message and who are going to be the ones to start and fuel this movement on their campus.”

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