After primary defeat, Joe Vogel's fight to energize young voters endures
Maryland Delegate Joe Vogel (D) talks to Zivvy News about his journey and mission as a Gen Z politician
Zivvy is committed to highlighting the work of young changemakers who are tackling key issues and making a difference in their communities and beyond. Ahead of Election Day, Zivvy News has spoken to several Gen Z politicians from both sides of the aisle. This is the first of the series.
Joe Vogel ran to be Maryland’s first Gen Z, Latino and openly LGBTQ Representative in U.S. Congress. The 27-year-old Maryland state delegate’s campaign ended in defeat to fellow Democrat April McClain-Delaney in his state’s May 14 primary. Despite this, Vogel remains committed to energizing young voters about civic engagement.
A drive to serve his community
A recent Harvard Kennedy School of Government graduate, Vogel first considered politics through community service. His experience includes working for then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and various political campaigns. Two key issues drive his political engagement: gun violence and climate change. However, he identifies another urgent concern among his younger constituents.
Fighting for reproductive rights
“Most young people that I talk to are really concerned about the attacks on our fundamental freedoms, the attacks on bodily autonomy, women not being able to make decisions about their own bodies and their own health care,” he says. “Luckily, in Maryland, we have affirmed the right to reproductive freedom and voters, I hope, are about to do that this November when they vote on a constitutional amendment to affirm and shrine the right in the constitution to reproductive freedom.”
Focusing on the increasing costs of living
A common thread in Zivvy News’ coverage of the 2024 elections is the economic anxiety felt by Gen Z, and Vogel’s constituents echo this sentiment. “Young people want to be able to afford the cost of living,” he notes. "I think the cost of housing here in Maryland and across the country is becoming harder and harder and harder for young people to be able to afford.”
Calling for a new generation of leaders
These issues were central to his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he called for a fresh perspective and new generation of leadership in Congress.
“I'm trying to change the tone in our politics, change our approach to politics, focus on those issues, focus on solutions,” he says, “[and] show young people that government can deliver.”
Making an impact on mental health and climate policy
He points to his legislative achievements as a foundation for this mission. “I was able to get legislation passed to address the shortage of mental health professionals working in our public schools to make sure that we had more school psychologists, more school social workers, more counselors working in our schools to provide that necessary support for students,” he says. “I committed to doing something about the climate crisis. I'm proud that we passed a bill, over seven million dollars of investments into climate innovation, into climate technology companies that are going to be the leaders in making sure that we have the technologies and the strategies and the tools to be able to address the climate crisis.”
Feeling “privileged” to serve
Vogel continues to serve in Maryland’s House of Delegates, where he represents the Montgomery County cities of Gathersburg and Rockville, and says he feels “privileged” to serve in state legislation.