Prominent gun control advocate, David Hogg, has issued a call to arms for the younger generation to step up and run for office at all levels, in a bid to combat the ongoing issue of gun violence.
Speaking at the rally and march marking the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hogg urged his peers to take action.
Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school shooting, expressed his frustration with the current political landscape, stating that politicians have openly admitted their unwillingness to protect students and teachers from gun violence. "If they're admitting that they won't do anything for us, it's time to take them head on," Hogg declared.
He further emphasized the importance of the younger generation running for office, not just at the congressional level, but also in local government. "It is time we started running for office as a generation, not just for Congress, the building behind us, but in places like Lansing, in places like Tallahassee, in places like your city hall, every level of government matters and we need you to run," he said.
Last year, President Biden signed the first significant gun control legislation in three decades. The law encourages states to adopt red flag laws and broadens background checks for individuals aged 18 to 21.
Earlier this month, Hogg unveiled a grassroots organization, Leaders We Deserve, aimed at supporting Generation Z candidates in local, state, and federal elections. The organization intends to assist young candidates with fundraising and campaign strategy.
Leaders We Deserve was established with assistance from Kevin Lata, campaign manager for Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat and the first Gen Z candidate elected to Congress. The organization plans to back candidates aged 30 and under for state legislatures and those aged 35 and under for Congressional races. A minimum of 80% of the candidates the organization intends to support will be vying for seats in state legislatures.
Hogg rose to prominence as a gun control activist following the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February 2018. The shooter, former student Nikolas Cruz, was sentenced to life in prison without parole last year after pleading guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.
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