At age 24, Alan Vargas wants to lead the California Democratic Party.
Sporting a beige cowboy hat and a pink shirt, the young progressive running for party chair evoked waves of cheers as he vowed to shake things up at the Democrats鈥� annual convention in Anaheim this weekend.
鈥淚 feel our party has moved away from its roots,鈥� he told Democrats Saturday. 鈥淲e cannot rely on fear to gain votes, nor can we assume the support of any minority, so we must act.鈥�
It was a long shot: Incumbent Rusty Hicks, who did not even show up to make a campaign speech, secured another term swimmingly. Among 2,600 delegates, Vargas.
But Vargas鈥� attempt sends a clear message: Young Democrats are growingly frustrated with the party鈥檚 struggle to resonate with their peers, especially after Democrats , who either shifted toward President Donald Trump or sat out the November election altogether. , particularly Democrats.
Party leaders took notice. Hicks, who deemed the low turnout 鈥�,鈥� said Democrats must speak up for marginalized communities and reach out to young voters year round.
The stakes are high: As California Democrats aim to retake the U.S. House in battleground districts next year, to their victory. Some candidates for governor are already courting their support: Veteran lawmaker Toni Atkins and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra headlined the California Young Democrats reception at the convention. Both of them called young people the 鈥渘ow鈥� 鈥� not just the future 鈥� of the party.
鈥淵ou are my future, and I am counting on you,鈥� Atkins told young Democrats Saturday night.
Others hope their affordability-focused policy proposals will resonate.
All the gubernatorial candidates pledged to build more housing faster to lower costs. Tony Thurmond, the state superintendent of public instruction running for governor, pointed to and to pay back tuition later as well as his advocacy for paid internship programs and workforce training. Former state controller Betty Yee touted her experience managing California鈥檚 bank account and stressed her focus on making more reproductive options affordable. Becerra pointed to to lower medical costs.
But considering a resolution urging a mandatory retirement age for state and local politicians, to the disappointment of many young Democrats who feel disenfranchised and fear many elected officials are to be effective.
鈥淲hen you have 70-year-olds and 80-year-olds running for office, how is that supposed to inspire us when we are living in a completely different world than they ever did?鈥� said Lauren Hassett, an 18-year-old college student from Orange County.
To make inroads with young voters, party leaders and candidates must focus on making California affordable and not shy away from progressive issues that resonate with young people, according to a dozen young Democrats who spoke to CalMatters at the convention. Some stressed that campaigns must also reach young voters at town halls and on campuses and learn to use social media and podcasts to engage them.
But most importantly, the message must be simple.
鈥淎t the end of the day, politics is personal, and people want to vote for someone who鈥檚 going to make their lives easier,鈥� said Carter Beardsley, 18, from Bakersfield.
Simplifying affordability
There鈥檚 a consensus among young Democrats that the party got pummeled on cost-of-living issues in November. Latinos, , flocked toward Trump, in part at the grocery store and at the gas pump.
Feeling like Democrats were absent on 鈥渨orking-class issues鈥� was what inspired Vargas, a son of Mexican immigrants and a content creator from Corona, to run for party chair. While Democrats did try to address economic concerns, the messaging was too complex, Vargas argued.
鈥淎 lot of working people don鈥檛 have the time to do the research working two or three jobs,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think we need a message in a way that is much easier and more digestible for our working communities, so they can listen to it on the radio rather than having to go on the phone and research five different articles.鈥�
Hassett said many Democratic politicians have been criticizing Trump鈥檚 economic policies, such as tariffs, without offering digestible policy alternatives. Nor have they successfully explained how their own policies would benefit voters instead, she argued.
Last November, there 鈥渨as a lot of 鈥楬ere鈥檚 what Trump鈥檚 going to do and we are going to do the opposite,鈥欌�� Hassett said. 鈥淎 normal voter is not going to know really what a tariff is, really how a tariff is going to impact their life.鈥�
Affordability is still top of mind for many delegates, including young ones. Carter Beardsley, 18, from Bakersfield, said rising health care costs could deter young people from going to the doctor or having a child. And college students fear a hike in tuition, especially as Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed to from public university budgets.
鈥淪tudents who might be living off Top Ramen can鈥檛 afford that increase,鈥� Beardsley said.
Despite polls showing that the electorate is shifting away from liberal social views, young Democrats this weekend said they want to see candidates take progressive stances on issues such as LGBTQ rights and the war in Gaza. Young Democrats in California are .
Some grew frustrated at , where he said allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls鈥� and women鈥檚 sports is 鈥渄eeply unfair.鈥� Trump is threatening to withhold funding from California for allowing trans athletes to participate.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not an area that I think there鈥檚 common ground to be found on,鈥� Beardsley said. 鈥淲e need to protect trans kids, period.鈥�
And many want to see candidates who will fight to stop the United States from supplying weapons to Israel. At last year鈥檚 convention, pro-Palestinian activists flooded the venue as they called on Democrats to support a ceasefire in Gaza. This year鈥檚 protest was more muted, with just a dozen pro-Palestinian signs dotting the halls as speakers avoided mentioning the war.
Let鈥檚 talk about age
Though the topic of age was in the air, Democratic leaders postponed discussing a resolution backed by San Francisco Democrats to explore capping the age for state and local officials. The resolution鈥檚 author said it was born that former President Joe Biden, 82, remained in the presidential race too long last year, and that some older Democrats 鈥� namely who died at 90 鈥� held onto their seats instead of yielding to younger peers.
Hicks, the party chair, brushed aside concerns about age and defended the party鈥檚 decision to delay the discussion.
鈥淎t the end of the day, whether you are 25 or 75, the question is: Are you delivering for those that voted for you?鈥� he told reporters.
Some young Democrats agreed, pointing to the success of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, 83, and former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, 78, who was recently elected mayor of Oakland, in connecting with young progressives.
George Balan, 17, the chair of the California High School Democrats, said what ultimately matters is how much young people feel like they can benefit from someone鈥檚 policies.
Many Democrats running for governor argued that age is just a number. Becerra, speaking to a roomful of young Democrats on Saturday night, repeatedly defended Biden鈥檚 performance. 鈥淛oe Biden will tell you he鈥檚 old. But can you deliver?鈥� Becerra said.
Becerra鈥檚 speech did not sit well with Annie Koruga, a Bay Area delegate in their early 20s. Being able to deliver is the 鈥渨hole point of being in elected office,鈥� Koruga argued, and old age could cloud a politician鈥檚 ability to do just that.
Koruga noted that several older Democratic members of Congress since 2022.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to be respectful, but when we have people who are 85, 90 years old in these offices, many of them are not able to effectively perform their functions,鈥� Koruga said.
And other young Democrats told CalMatters they feel turned off when the candidate field is crawling with seniors.
鈥淭here are people in Congress right now that have been there since before the (smart)phone,鈥� said Kelly Merchant, a 22-year-old from Indio.