Latest news with #generationalChange
CNN
14-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Arizona special election primary roiled by Democratic debates over age, experience and legacy
Tensions within the Democratic Party over age, representation and experience have roiled a special election primary in southwest Arizona, where a young, social media-savvy activist is taking on the daughter of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. Former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, 54, has sought to strike a balance between pitching herself as a continuation of her father's establishment-bucking progressive legacy and embracing the broad support she's received from Democratic groups and leaders. Her two top rivals — 25-year-old activist Deja Foxx and 35-year-old former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez — have sought to turn her last name and endorsements into a liability. 'People are hungry for change candidates, they're tired of legacy last names,' Foxx told CNN earlier this month. 'The political establishment is not as strong as the people who make up this party.' The Tuesday primary has highlighted the ongoing debate over generational change that was further fueled by former President Joe Biden's late decision to exit the 2024 presidential race following questions about his cognitive ability. All of the Democratic candidates have vowed to push back on President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy law, which narrowly passed while House Democrats had three vacant seats held by lawmakers in their 70s who died this year. The contest — which includes a familiar rivalry between a seemingly inevitable front-runner and a challenger promising generational change — has also drawn some comparisons to last month's New York City mayoral primary, where 33-year-old state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani won a decisive upset victory against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The comparison isn't a clean one. There are no major policy differences between Grijalva and Foxx, who both support progressive policies such as 'Medicare for All' and have vowed to push back on Trump's agenda, particularly on immigration. Grijalva also lacks the political baggage of the former governor, who resigned in disgrace amid a sexual harassment scandal. 'When I started hearing those comparisons, I was like, 'Am I supposed to be Cuomo in this?'' Grijalva said in an interview with CNN. 'That's just crazy.' Grijalva has expressed frustration with what she described as a narrative that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. That discounts her own political record, she said, which includes nearly two decades on the Tucson Unified School District governing board and four years as a county supervisor, both positions her father held before her. 'Up until the last, what, month and a half, the words 'Grijalva' and 'establishment' have never been used in the same sentence, ever,' she said. 'Unless it's 'Grijalva fights against the establishment.'' The question now is whether voters in the district, who sent former Rep. Grijalva to Congress for more than two decades, want to continue the tradition or shake things up. Whoever wins the Tuesday Democratic primary will be heavily favored to win the September 23 general election. 'If you opened your political science book from 2002, it would have told you that the name ID of Grijalva was enough to carry the race,' said Stacy Pearson, a Phoenix-based Democratic strategist. 'It's just not the case anymore.' Pearson described the race as a jump ball between the three leading candidates, depending on who casts a ballot in what's expected to be a low-turnout election in a district that includes parts of Tucson and nearly all of Arizona's border with Mexico. 'It's going to be such a strange turnout model, and the level of frustration with the status quo is so high that this environment might be absolutely perfect for an underdog to come in and win it,' she said. The three candidates have been making their case on the airwaves. As of Friday, Grijalva and her allies spent $754,000 on TV ads, while Foxx spent $614,000 and Hernandez spent $509,000, according to AdImpact. Hernandez, a former school board member who spent six years in the state Legislature under Republican majorities, has embraced a more centrist lane, particularly when it comes to health care and mining. He has brushed off efforts to label him a moderate, however, and criticized Democrats who he said use being in the political minority as an excuse for not passing legislation. 'I think that's the thing that people have said: 'Well, you work with folks on the other side of the aisle,'' he told CNN in an interview. 'Well, when you're in the minority in the state Legislature, you don't have any options.' Grijalva's ads have emphasized her progressive platform, her endorsements from key figures — including both of Arizona's US senators and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — and her family. 'When you grow up Grijalva, you learn how to fight and who you're fighting for,' she says in one ad that features images and clips of her father and other relatives. 'I know how to fight and win because I learned from the best.' Foxx's most prominent ally, meanwhile, has been former Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, who endorsed her this month. Hogg, 25, announced earlier this year that his group, Leaders We Deserve, plans to spend $20 million boosting young candidates, including in primary challenges against incumbents in safe Democratic seats that he deems 'ineffective.' The support from Hogg, who campaigned with Foxx in Tucson on Friday, only further fueled the comparisons to the New York City mayoral race, where Leaders We Deserve endorsed Mamdani. But it also brings to mind another race, last month's Democratic primary to fill the seat of former Rep. Gerry Connolly, who also died earlier this year. Hogg's pick, Virginia state Delegate Irene Shin, lost handily to former Connolly staffer James Walkinshaw. Hogg said in a statement that Foxx brings 'unmatched clarity, conviction, and lived experience' to issues facing working families. Foxx has emphasized her backstory as the daughter of a single mother who relied on programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and Section 8 housing to highlight the urgency she says she would bring to Congress. She has argued that her version of fighting the Trump administration is informed by her decade of experience as an activist. And she's framed herself as the candidate who would break the status quo, frequently ribbing Grijalva for inheriting her father's donor list. Grijalva has pushed back, noting she's not the lead fundraiser in the race. She said that 93% of her donors had never given money to her family before this race and that her father was not a prolific fundraiser. The former county supervisor criticized some of the Foxx campaign's social media content that she said was misleading. 'Talk about what you're going to bring to the table, not disparaging and maligning people who have served this community for decades. I just think that is in really poor taste,' Grijalva said. 'There's a lot of throwing under the bus and a lot of 'look at me.'' Grijalva's allies have also jumped into the race. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which endorsed her, has sought to frame the contest as a fight for representation for the district, which is more than 60% Latino. 'Anyone who sees Arizona's 7th district as anything other than a fight for Latino representation in America is enabling all those who seek to disenfranchise our community and silence our voices,' California Rep. Linda Sánchez, chairwoman of CHC BOLD PAC, the caucus's fundraising arm, said in a statement. A Foxx campaign spokesperson said the insinuation that Foxx is 'anything other than capable of representing the people of this district is frankly gross.' 'We are focused on putting forward policies to make their lives better and fighting back against Trump, not dividing our community,' the spokesperson, Andrew Mamo, told CNN.
CNN
14-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Arizona special election primary roiled by Democratic debates over age, experience and legacy
Tensions within the Democratic Party over age, representation and experience have roiled a special election primary in southwest Arizona, where a young, social media-savvy activist is taking on the daughter of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. Former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, 54, has sought to strike a balance between pitching herself as a continuation of her father's establishment-bucking progressive legacy and embracing the broad support she's received from Democratic groups and leaders. Her two top rivals — 25-year-old activist Deja Foxx and 35-year-old former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez — have sought to turn her last name and endorsements into a liability. 'People are hungry for change candidates, they're tired of legacy last names,' Foxx told CNN earlier this month. 'The political establishment is not as strong as the people who make up this party.' The Tuesday primary has highlighted the ongoing debate over generational change that was further fueled by former President Joe Biden's late decision to exit the 2024 presidential race following questions about his cognitive ability. All of the Democratic candidates have vowed to push back on President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy law, which narrowly passed while House Democrats had three vacant seats held by lawmakers in their 70s who died this year. The contest — which includes a familiar rivalry between a seemingly inevitable front-runner and a challenger promising generational change — has also drawn some comparisons to last month's New York City mayoral primary, where 33-year-old state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani won a decisive upset victory against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The comparison isn't a clean one. There are no major policy differences between Grijalva and Foxx, who both support progressive policies such as 'Medicare for All' and have vowed to push back on Trump's agenda, particularly on immigration. Grijalva also lacks the political baggage of the former governor, who resigned in disgrace amid a sexual harassment scandal. 'When I started hearing those comparisons, I was like, 'Am I supposed to be Cuomo in this?'' Grijalva said in an interview with CNN. 'That's just crazy.' Grijalva has expressed frustration with what she described as a narrative that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. That discounts her own political record, she said, which includes nearly two decades on the Tucson Unified School District governing board and four years as a county supervisor, both positions her father held before her. 'Up until the last, what, month and a half, the words 'Grijalva' and 'establishment' have never been used in the same sentence, ever,' she said. 'Unless it's 'Grijalva fights against the establishment.'' The question now is whether voters in the district, who sent former Rep. Grijalva to Congress for more than two decades, want to continue the tradition or shake things up. Whoever wins the Tuesday Democratic primary will be heavily favored to win the September 23 general election. 'If you opened your political science book from 2002, it would have told you that the name ID of Grijalva was enough to carry the race,' said Stacy Pearson, a Phoenix-based Democratic strategist. 'It's just not the case anymore.' Pearson described the race as a jump ball between the three leading candidates, depending on who casts a ballot in what's expected to be a low-turnout election in a district that includes parts of Tucson and nearly all of Arizona's border with Mexico. 'It's going to be such a strange turnout model, and the level of frustration with the status quo is so high that this environment might be absolutely perfect for an underdog to come in and win it,' she said. The three candidates have been making their case on the airwaves. As of Friday, Grijalva and her allies spent $754,000 on TV ads, while Foxx spent $614,000 and Hernandez spent $509,000, according to AdImpact. Hernandez, a former school board member who spent six years in the state Legislature under Republican majorities, has embraced a more centrist lane, particularly when it comes to health care and mining. He has brushed off efforts to label him a moderate, however, and criticized Democrats who he said use being in the political minority as an excuse for not passing legislation. 'I think that's the thing that people have said: 'Well, you work with folks on the other side of the aisle,'' he told CNN in an interview. 'Well, when you're in the minority in the state Legislature, you don't have any options.' Grijalva's ads have emphasized her progressive platform, her endorsements from key figures — including both of Arizona's US senators and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — and her family. 'When you grow up Grijalva, you learn how to fight and who you're fighting for,' she says in one ad that features images and clips of her father and other relatives. 'I know how to fight and win because I learned from the best.' Foxx's most prominent ally, meanwhile, has been former Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, who endorsed her this month. Hogg, 25, announced earlier this year that his group, Leaders We Deserve, plans to spend $20 million boosting young candidates, including in primary challenges against incumbents in safe Democratic seats that he deems 'ineffective.' The support from Hogg, who campaigned with Foxx in Tucson on Friday, only further fueled the comparisons to the New York City mayoral race, where Leaders We Deserve endorsed Mamdani. But it also brings to mind another race, last month's Democratic primary to fill the seat of former Rep. Gerry Connolly, who also died earlier this year. Hogg's pick, Virginia state Delegate Irene Shin, lost handily to former Connolly staffer James Walkinshaw. Hogg said in a statement that Foxx brings 'unmatched clarity, conviction, and lived experience' to issues facing working families. Foxx has emphasized her backstory as the daughter of a single mother who relied on programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and Section 8 housing to highlight the urgency she says she would bring to Congress. She has argued that her version of fighting the Trump administration is informed by her decade of experience as an activist. And she's framed herself as the candidate who would break the status quo, frequently ribbing Grijalva for inheriting her father's donor list. Grijalva has pushed back, noting she's not the lead fundraiser in the race. She said that 93% of her donors had never given money to her family before this race and that her father was not a prolific fundraiser. The former county supervisor criticized some of the Foxx campaign's social media content that she said was misleading. 'Talk about what you're going to bring to the table, not disparaging and maligning people who have served this community for decades. I just think that is in really poor taste,' Grijalva said. 'There's a lot of throwing under the bus and a lot of 'look at me.'' Grijalva's allies have also jumped into the race. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which endorsed her, has sought to frame the contest as a fight for representation for the district, which is more than 60% Latino. 'Anyone who sees Arizona's 7th district as anything other than a fight for Latino representation in America is enabling all those who seek to disenfranchise our community and silence our voices,' California Rep. Linda Sánchez, chairwoman of CHC BOLD PAC, the caucus's fundraising arm, said in a statement. A Foxx campaign spokesperson said the insinuation that Foxx is 'anything other than capable of representing the people of this district is frankly gross.' 'We are focused on putting forward policies to make their lives better and fighting back against Trump, not dividing our community,' the spokesperson, Andrew Mamo, told CNN.
New York Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
David Hogg to Exit D.N.C. After Backlash to His Primary Plan
David Hogg, the young vice chair of the Democratic National Committee who divided the party over his plans to intervene in primary races against sitting Democratic lawmakers, said that he would step aside and not run again for his post after the party removed him on Wednesday. Mr. Hogg, 25, became a lightning rod for criticism within the party after he told The New York Times two months ago that he planned to spend millions of dollars on primaries through a separate group, Leaders We Deserve, that he leads. He said he was raising as much as $20 million to help bring generational change to the Democratic Party. On Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee announced that its members had voted to force new elections for vice chair, removing Mr. Hogg and another vice chair, Malcolm Kenyatta. In a letter provided to The Times, Mr. Hogg outlined his reasoning for quitting party leadership rather than running again for vice chair. 'I came into this role to play a positive role in creating the change our party needs,' he wrote. 'It is clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair — and it's OK to have disagreements. What isn't OK is allowing this to remain our focus when there is so much more we need to be focused on.' Mr. Hogg's tenure as a party official was brief but filled with drama. It included a move by the party chairman, Ken Martin, to stop Mr. Hogg from engaging in primaries; Mr. Hogg's being caught in a Project Veritas operation talking about party leaders; public backbiting; and the leak of audio from an internal meeting of party officers. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What My Son Taught Me About The Future Of Work
The next generation workforce in the age of AI courtsey Redd Francisco I asked my son, who is graduating from college in a few weeks, to join me on my podcast series (link here). It was a fun, and personal, conversation - but brought out a larger, broader insight: there is an entirely new generation of our future workforce coming in - and they grew up with AI. This is the graduating class of 2025. They approach generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Cursor - not just to complete assignments - but to prototype ideas, streamline workflows, and write code more efficiently. For them, these tools aren't novelties; they're extensions of how they learn and solve problems. They think differently, work differently, and expect more from the companies they're about to join. Reflecting on the conversation, it's obvious that their technology stack looks very different from ours; the applications they use reflect the evolving landscape of personal productivity, shaping how the next generation will operate in the workplace. What is also striking is their agility with AI - they don't get attached to a single tool or platform for life, instead, thrive in a dynamic environment where continuous learning and iteration are the norm - constantly trying, testing and evolving to the next. This adaptability - the willingness to experiment, learn, and adjust - is a hallmark of this generation. And while they know not to blindly trust every AI-generated response, they also aren't discouraged by the occasional 'hallucinations.' Instead, they have learned to live with them, to work around them by truly understanding their own role as a human in the loop. It's a mindset that acknowledges both the promise and the limitations of AI - a balance that will be critical for organizations navigating this shift. This new generation workforce have grown up in an era where AI isn't just a concept—it's a daily companion. They enter the workforce with an intuitive grasp of how technology can enhance productivity and creativity. Tools like large language models, low-code platforms, and automated assistants are second nature to them. Their mindset isn't 'Will AI help me do my job?' - it's 'How can we use AI to make this process better, faster, and more impactful?' This creates a fascinating contrast with many in the existing workforce - while we've been debating the potential of AI and cautiously experimenting with its applications, this new workforce expects AI to be embedded, accessible, and essential. And that's not a gap to be feared - it's an opportunity to accelerate transformation. This influx of digitally fluent, AI-native talent is a real opportunity for organizations. It's a chance to rethink not just how we work - but how we lead, manage, and empower teams. The companies that will thrive aren't the ones trying to retrofit AI into legacy processes; it will be the ones willing to embrace new workflows, delegate more decision-making to automated systems, and create space for innovation at every level. And it isn't just about technology; this is about culture. It's about fostering an environment where fresh ideas are not just heard but celebrated, where employees can challenge norms and contribute to building smarter, more agile businesses. For those of us in leadership, this is a pivotal moment - the newest members of our workforce aren't waiting for permission to use AI, they're bringing it with them. The good news is this shift gives us a chance to leap forward, to move beyond incremental improvements and embrace true transformation. It challenges us to think bigger about what our companies can achieve when we empower people with the tools and the mindset to innovate. But more importantly, it's a call to honor the human spirit behind the technology - to empower people with the tools and culture they need to thrive. So as we welcome this new generation of our youngest workforce across our corporations, let's ask ourselves: Are we ready to match their expectations? And create workspaces that don't just accommodate AI but are built for it? Because the future isn't something we're waiting for. It's already here – and walking in through our doors with the now-graduating class of digitally-fluent talent that just happened to grow up with AI.
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Garcia Joins Generational Fight Among House Democrats
Representative Robert Garcia of California told his colleagues on Thursday that he was running to become the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, intensifying a generational battle over a critical post at a time when younger members are agitating for more power. Mr. Garcia, 47, is not the only young lawmaker seeking the position, a prominent role that has been vacant since Representative Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia died last week at the age of 75. Mr. Connolly stepped back from it last month as his cancer progressed. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, 44, who is the No. 2 Democrat on the committee, said on MSNBC earlier this week that she planned to seek the top post. She and Mr. Garcia will vie for the job against two more senior members: Representatives Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, 70, who had assumed Mr. Connolly's duties since he stepped aside; and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, 76, who told colleagues in text messages in May that he wanted the position. Democrats plan to hold an internal election for the position on June 24. The contest is unfolding as the party reappraises its identity following painful electoral losses in November, including whether it is time for its older members to relinquish power to a younger generation. A book released this month has revived conversations over whether Democrats were too quick to shut down skepticism about former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s age and mental acuity as he ran for re-election. David Hogg, 25, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, faced an internal firestorm after he announced he'd support an effort to oust older incumbents in favor of younger progressives. The ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee is one of the party's most visible opponents to Republicans and the Trump administration. The position has seen remarkable turnover; Mr. Connolly was the fourth person to hold it in six years, none of them younger than 60 years old. That is in keeping with Democrats' traditional approach to awarding powerful posts in Congress, where such decisions for decades were made almost entirely by seniority. Mr. Connolly's selection for the job last year appeared to be a rebuke to younger progressives who had argued the party needed fresh voices to lead their ranks on the panel during the second Trump administration. The Virginia Democrat, who was elected to the House in 2008, defeated Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, the millennial media phenom who is one of the most visible and popular members of her party. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, 35, subsequently left the Oversight Committee and said earlier this month that she would not pursue the post again, in part because of Democrats' emphasis on seniority. In the letter that Mr. Garcia sent to members formally announcing his bid, the second-term lawmaker tried to position himself as a bridge between more experienced members and the younger generation. Focusing on his time as mayor of Long Beach, Calif., he said that he 'showed that government can be both progressive and effective,' according to a copy of the letter obtained by The New York Times. Mr. Mfume, in text messages he sent to colleagues in May that were viewed by The Times, highlighted his '15 years of service in the House' — experience that he said would help 'aggressively push back against Trump's daily encroachment on congressional powers.'
