Maybe You Should Run for Something, with Amanda Litman

We're living in a time ruled by old men.

And honestly, it's not going great. The richest, most powerful men on the planet - billionaires and political leaders alike - are well over 70, on average.

Meanwhile, young people are suffering from the high cost of living, unaffordable housing, high consumer debt, and political unrest.

Based on recent polling, they're not happy.

The right has made a long term investment in their political goals. The left has not.

That's where Amanda Litman and her organization, Run for Something come in - helping to get people under 40 elected to local office. They've been incredibly successful, and are now focused on battleground states and other places in which Democrats have historically underinvested, as well as encouraging renters to run for office.

Amanda Litman is the co-founder and president of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office. Since launching in 2017, RFS has elected more than 1500 leaders across nearly all 50 states, mostly women and people of color.

She’s also president of RFS Civics, a 501c3 that works to end the gerontocracy.

She is also the author of Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System Yourself, published by Atria in 2017. Her new book, When We’re in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership, came out in May 2025 from Crooked Media Reads.

"Dems Struggle to Make Their Moderates Go Viral" by Lauren Egan in The Bulwark

"The Voters Who Have Taken a U-Turn on Trump" by Nate Cohn of The New York Times

1. Cross tabs from their study with Siena College

"Run for Something Launches Battle Up Strategy"

"Run for Something Mobilizes Renters to Run for Office"

"How Aftyn Behn Shattered Expectations in a Deep Red District"

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