Meet the first Gen Z Republican elected to the Minnesota Legislature – MPR News
Elliott Engen loves his job.
Engen, who is 24, took office in January in the Minnesota House of Representatives representing House district 36A, which includes Lino Lakes, Circle Pines, North Oaks, Centerville and White Bear Township in the northeast part of the metro area.
Its such a high learning curve, but every single day, you get to wake up and you get to help people, Engen said of his first month in office.
He took a step back from his job with an environmental conservation nonprofit to commit to legislating full-time, something he says he owes his constituency. Hes still figuring out the work-life balance like when to turn off the office lights and head home for dinner but hes steadily working towards the white picket fence life in Lino Lakes, Minn. with his wife Faith Engen and their dog, Finn.
What does that mean? The news, analysis and community conversation found here is funded by donations from individuals. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone.
Engen is one of two Generation Z lawmakers stepping into the Minnesota Legislature this year. Engen is a Republican while the other, state Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, is a DFLer, making each the only legislator of their generation in their respective political parties in the state. Already, these young politicians are poised to shape the course of their parties.
The Pew Research Center defines Millennials as people born 1981 through 1996, and Gen Z after 1997 (an end year has yet to be defined).
These two generations will be a majority of potential voters by 2028, according to a report released last month from The Brookings Institution, which also noted that young voters overwhelmingly voted for Democratic congressional candidates in 2022, swinging elections in almost every battleground state.
Engen isnt fazed by that.
A lot of folks would characterize my generation as being more progressive in their leanings and that might be true, he told MPR News. But I do know that we dont always trust institutions that have quote-unquote power over us we dont always want helicopter parents.
We just want things to run smoothly, he adds. We want transparency, we want accountability. But we also want policies that care about people and we can do all of the above.
Engen sees an opportunity to change public perception of Republicans.
I think that we are compassionate. I don't think that conservatives are across the board heartless. Some of them for sure and some Democrats for sure. But I think overall we do want to do good by our constituents and for the state, but we havent been doing a good enough job of letting people know why it is what we believe. If we do that more, we can show people that we actually have a heart, Engen said.
As young people not only come of age but begin to start families and businesses, Engen wanted to get a head start on elevating their voices to find solutions to pressing issues.
Weve constantly heard politicians for forever say Were doing this for the next generation. Well, we are the next generation and maybe we should be at the table as well.
A few years ago, Engen was a passionate baseball player at Hamline University considering law school down the road. He said he got politically involved after feeling conversations on campus wouldnt lead to needed social change.
I just saw that percolating on campus was a sense of discourse that wasn't necessarily sustainable. In my eyes, it was a lot more of reciting the talking points of either Tucker Carlson or Rachel Maddow, just kind of the extremes talking at each other rather than talking with each other, Engen said.
So he founded a chapter of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA at Hamline where people with both liberal and conservative political beliefs would meet to debate ideas.
That he could bring affinity for discourse to the State Capitol did not occur to him until a chance encounter in December 2019 with Joe Mitchell, who at 21 became the youngest person in the Iowa Legislature in 2018.
Engen and his wife were in West Palm Beach, Fla. for the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit. They were discussing policy in a hot tub when Mitchell overheard and asked if he was a candidate or in office.
Engen recalls laughing at the idea. No way, he said he had responded. Im not older and don't have any individual wealth. So why would I be in office?
Mitchell said Engen asked him, Who's gonna vote for a 20 year old? And so I said, Well, you know, 6,800 people in Iowa's 84th district when I first ran when I was 20.
Engen said hearing about Mitchells success planted a seed.
Thats what got it into my mind that were not bound to be on the sidelines of politics until later in our lives, he said.
Engen quit his college baseball team to run for office, first in 2020, when he narrowly lost to the Democrat incumbent by 100 votes. He ran for state house again after redistricting and won in another tight race.
He said he is no longer affiliated with Turning Point USA, which has been criticized for targeting professors they identified as liberal and amplifying far-right extremists.
The orgs original stances aligned with my values of free markets, individualism and limited government. I no longer feel that those values are the identity of the organization, and therefore, I dont support it, he said. I have never, nor will ever, support extremism from the right. I aim to unify, not divide.
Mitchell started a nonprofit called Run GenZ in 2020 to recruit, empower and mentor young conservatives to run for office, ranging from school boards and city councils to state legislatures.
After their initial meeting, Mitchell said he was a resource for Engen throughout his campaigning, offering advice on messaging, developing an online presence and getting the party endorsement.
It's not rocket science, Mitchell said. It's pretty simple. It's about viability in that seat, making sure it's a viable seat to run in. Making sure that you can hold a conversation and that you can work hard and ask people for their vote at the doorstep.
Rep. Joe Mitchell, R-Wayland, center, takes the oath of office during the opening day of the Iowa Legislature on Jan. 14 at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa.
Charlie Neibergall | AP Photo 2019
In 2022, Mitchell reported Run GenZ had a 78 percent win rate, with 37 of 47 candidates under 30 years old taking office. He said while the country did not see a huge red wave, he thinks their programs candidate quality and campaign training helped.
Mitchell hopes to double their number of successful candidates in the next two years. He wants to both amplify young people with conservative values and counter the progressive faction of the Democratic Party, which he said offers young voters more representation with politicians like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost.
Frankly, I think the Democrat Party does a really good job of trying to put some of these young people that have been successful on a pedestal and showcase them to the world, he said. And not necessarily neglect them like the Republican Party or the conservative movement has done to a certain extent when young people try to get involved.
In January, Run GenZ held its annual candidate training workshop. Engen attended for the first time as a speaker and found people had the same questions he did: Am I ready to do this? How do people perceive my age? Will I be taken seriously?
Engen estimates 150 Gen Z-ers were there and are running for office across the country.
Engen said he told them, "Yes, you can. You need to quit seeing youth and quote unquote inexperience as something that's a detriment. It's a power, because you're able to come to this with a fresh perspective."
As state representatives debated HF 1, a bill to protect abortion rights in Minnesota, for hours in January, Engen shared the story of a 15-year-old pressured into an abortion clinic by an abusive boyfriend. An older woman intervened, letting her know she could choose to raise the child. That girl was his mother.
He voted against the bill, which ultimately passed and became law, calling it not reasonable and expressing concern around the lack of guardian consent.
I respect the stories that weve heard from the other side of the aisle and youre strong for telling em, Engen told Democrats. But what was needed, he said, was for legislators to help constituents find ways to actually speak to each other again.
Bringing people together and being responsive to constituents is at the heart Engens approach to his job.
On the campaign trail, he said he heard public safety, school safety and the general affordability of life were the top issues so its what he is prioritizing in his first term.
Recently, Engen voted against restoring voting rights for felons once theyre out of prison or jail. He also introduced the Safe Haven In Every Local District (SHIELD) Act, which would mandate and fund school security system improvements.
We have passion. We have energy. And we have ideas. Now, it's just time that they're brought to the table and implemented in our state's policy, he said.
See the original post:
Meet the first Gen Z Republican elected to the Minnesota Legislature - MPR News
- Republican Con Artist From Queens Reports to Prison - Mother Jones - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Federal utility assistance program on the chopping block, but this Kentucky Republican has glowing reviews - WUKY - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Guess Which Texas Republican Was Just Accused of Paying for Abortions? - Yahoo Home - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Pa. Republican House members office vandalized with vulgar graffiti - PennLive.com - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Red River Republican Women hear from 8 Republican Congress candidates - Clarksville Now - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Here are the likely Democratic and Republican contenders for Wisconsin governor in 2026 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- 'Shirts and Skins': How one Republican bridged the gap to pass Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' - Fox News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- This Republican senator wants Congress to have more oversight of D.C. - The Washington Post - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- An Inland Empire Republican lawmaker wants to update rules for immigrant workers. Will Trump listen? - CalMatters - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- RAW: Republican Rep. Comer plans to move "quickly" with issuing subpoena to DOJ on Epstein, Clintons - WAAY 31 News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Congressman Flood named chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus in Congress - KTIV - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- House Republican introduces companion bill to end China's buying of American farmland - Fox News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Its really theft: the Republican plan to redraw Texas maps and grab more power - The Guardian - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Flips Out at Republican Lawmaker Exposing the Party on Epstein - Yahoo Home - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Republican divide over Fed renovation grows - Semafor - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Opinion | Heres the most baffling part of the Republican budget bill - The Washington Post - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Exclusive | NY Young Republican Club urges Congress to disqualify Mamdani from NYC mayoral race accuses him of giving US enemies aid and comfort -... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- A Fourth Candidate, And First Republican, Ruth Bittner, Joins The Race To Fill Late Rep. Hortmans Vacant House Seat - Patch - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Republican Rep. Slams Mike Johnson Over Epstein Files As House Is Shut Until September To Block Vote - Latin Times - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Hernando County Republican Blaise Ingoglia sworn in as Florida CFO - Creative Loafing Tampa Bay - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Flips Out at Republican Lawmaker Exposing the Party on Epstein - The New Republic - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Sarah McBride's first bill just passed Congress & not one Republican voted against it - Yahoo Home - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Pallone slams Republican cuts to beach replenishment funding: 'Theyre pulling the sand out from under us' - Insider NJ - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Murray, UW Medicine & Harborview CEOs Sound Alarm on How Republican Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate Hospitals, Threaten Specialty Care People in... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- DAVID MARCUS: Stephen Colberts character is the latest never-Trump Republican to fall - Fox News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Inside the House Republican-led plot to defy Trump on the Epstein files - Axios - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- One WA Republican chisels at the MAGA wall on immigration - The Seattle Times - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican rumblings: on Trump and the Epstein files - The Hindu - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- What Musk's fracture with Trump means for GOPs future: Beating heart of the Republican Party - Fox News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Whats in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - Hot Springs Sentinel Record - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican Miller, Democrat Berry discuss priorities ahead of Aug. 5 special election for 20th House district - Bay to Bay News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Letters to the editor: Republican debt solution, response to Epstein - Macomb Daily - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican lawmakers trying to repeal governor's 400-year funding veto - WKOW - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Jill Biden aide invokes Fifth to decline testimony in Republican investigation - ABC News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Tensions over Epstein files complicate Republican plan to vote on cuts bill - The Guardian - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Jill Biden aide invokes Fifth to decline testimony in Republican investigation - AP News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 2004 to 2024, Part Two: When Each State Was at its Most Republican - Center For Politics - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Republican Scott Jensen to run for governor again in 2026, says state budgeting has been 'irresponsible' - 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- What's in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - yourvalley.net - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- They took it to the next level: Emmer breaks down the Republican crypto rebellion - Semafor - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Whats in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - WOWK 13 News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Republican Tax Bill Is a Losing Deal for Gamblers - The New York Times - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Mike Johnson Reacts to Republican Blowback Over Jeffrey Epstein - Newsweek - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- JD Vance urges Republican voters to 'talk to your friends' about the 'big, beautiful bill' - NBC News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Key Senate Republican thinks deal in the offing over FBI HQ location dispute - Politico - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Georgia's Raffensperger calls for return of donations after Republican donor accused of Ponzi scheme - Colorado Newsline - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Three Republican senators break with Trump to vote against codifying DOGE spending cuts - The Independent - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Moore taps Carroll County Republican, Army vet to head veterans department - Maryland Matters - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Key Senate Republican to meet with Trump on funding clawback request - Politico - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoes Republican-backed bill aimed at banning certain books in schools - WMUR - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- The Republican senators to watch on cutting PBS, NPR and foreign aid funding - Axios - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- This small House Republican caucus held US stablecoin bill hostage until Trump cracked the whip - CryptoSlate - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Why more of Hobbs Arizona agency director nominees won Republican approval this year - KJZZ - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Homeland Security's Noem says in talks with five Republican-led states to build detention site - Reuters - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- 'Danger of Musks potential third party is [splitting] Republican votes: Tanden - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Herridge to resign as West Virginia Republican chairman, focus on cabinet role - News and Sentinel - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Rep. Brendan Boyle: You need four Republican Senators to stand up and have the courage to vote, no - MSN - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- The Frederick County Republican Central Committee wants to appoint candidates for the upcoming municipal elections in Frederick. But the filing... - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Raabe: On Monday, Remember The Greenwich Republican Party IS the National Republican Party - Greenwich Free Press - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- 'Sacred Covenant' How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas - Fox News - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Wisconsin businessman and Navy SEAL Bill Berrien launches Republican campaign for governor - WPR - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Redrawing Texas: the Republican plan to stack the decks for the midterms - The Guardian - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- After recent vetoes, it's time for DeWine to restore Republican Party | Letters - Yahoo News - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Exclusive | The Republican Strategy to Win Without Trump on the Ballot - WSJ - The Wall Street Journal - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- The Big Bad Republican Bill Wasnt Regressive Enough for the Anti-Tax Crusaders - Mother Jones - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Can the National Education Association Win Over Republican Members? - Education Week - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Texas keeps getting slammed by extreme weather catastrophes, but its Republican rulers remain contemptuous of climate science - Northwest Progressive... - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Exclusive | The Republican Strategy to Win Without Trump on the Ballot - WSJ - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Another Republican enters race to succeed Andy Barr in U.S. House - Kentucky Lantern - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican tax and spending cut megabill expected to take billions from Oregon Health Plan - Oregon Capital Chronicle - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Up Close with Bill Ritter: Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa on race for NYC mayor; Democrats try to unite behind Zohran Mamdani - ABC7 New York - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Exclusive / Moreno set to replace Tillis on Republican whip team - Semafor - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Chairman of Randall County Republican Party arrested for election fraud - KVII - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican Backs Push to Repeal Part of Trump Bill Days After Voting For It - Newsweek - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican The View Co-Host Admits to Crying Backstage at Least Half a Dozen Times - The Daily Beast - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Wisconsin Republican compares himself to Trump as he launches his bid for governor - AP News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Opinion | Jeff Flake: The Republican Fever Must Break - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Two women accuse Republican state lawmaker of making unwanted sexual advances. He denies the allegations. - The Colorado Sun - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 1988: A year that echoes in Georgia Republican politics to this day - SaportaReport - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Manassas Republican Party Headquarters vandalized over July 4 weekend - Washington Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]