JIM: HE’LL BE THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF CONGRESS WHEN HE’S SWORN IN JANUARY 3. SUMMER: THAT MAKES ORANGE COUNTY’S NECONGRESSMAN MAXWELL FROST THE FIRST GENERATION Z, OR GEN Z POLITICIAN ON CAPITOL HILL. JIM: WESH 2 POLITICAL REPORTER GREG FOX TALKED WITH FROST ONE ON ONE ABOUT HIS GOALS AND CHALLENGES AHEAD. ♪ REPORTER: DO YOU SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE A KID AMONG GROWNUPS WHEN YOU WALK AROUND CONGRESS? >> YEAH. NOT SO MUCH. I’M USED TO BEING THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, AND LIKE, — I HAVE BEEN TREATED BY MY COLLEAGUES WITH NOTHING BUT RESPECT. I’M USED TO BEING THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, AND LIKE, WHEN I WORKED FOR THE ACLU, I WAS LIKE 21. REPORTER: MAXWELL FROST IS USED TO HEARING JOKES ABOUT HIS AGE. DURING HIS FIRST TRIP TO D.C., AFTER WINNING ELECTION TO SERVE IN CONGRESS, HE FOUND HIMSELF CONSTANTLY SURPRISING CAPITOL SECURITY. >> AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME THEY WERE LIKE, LET ME SEE YOUR BADGE, AND I SHOWED THEM MY BADGE AND THEY STARTED CHEERING AND THEY WERE JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND SAYING ONLY IN AMERICA. YOU’RE SO YOUNG AND YOUR BLACK. — YOU ARE BLACK. BUILDING A FUTURE THAT DOES NOT EXIST, BUT SOME DAY CAN. REPORTER: FROST, WHO IS ALSO OF CUBAN HERITAGE IS 25. THE FIRST GEN Z MEMBER OF CONGRESS BORN BETWEEN 1997 AND 2012. LIKE MANY VOTERS HIS AGE, HE SOMETIMES FEELS IGNORED BY OLDER POLITICIANS. AS THE NATIONAL ORGANIZING DIRECTOR FOR MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, FROST IS MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT ENDING GUN VIOLENCE. HE JOINED STUDENTS AFTER THE 2018 MASSACRE IN PARKLAND, BUT SAYS THE ADDITION OF A RED FLAG LAW AND GUN PURCHASE RESTRICTIONS PASSED BACK THEN, DON’T GO FAR ENOUGH. HE AIMS TO CHANGE THAT IN DC. >> WE ALSO HAVE TO VIEW GUN VIOLENCE AND GENERAL VIOLENCE AS THE SYMPTOM OF ROOT CAUSES, POVERTY, NOT HAVING A DECENT WAGE, NOT HAVING HEALTH CARE SO WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO LIFT THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO USE GUNS TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. REPORTER: FROST HAD SOME CAMPAIGN BUSINESS TO CLEAN-UP THIS WEEK AFTER HIS BIGGEST DONOR WAS ARRESTED. SAM BANKMAN-FRIED, FOUNDER OF FTX CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE, IS ACCUSED OF SWINDLING MONEY FROM INVESTORS, INCLUDING CELEBRITIES LIKE QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY. ELECTION FINANCE RECORDS SAY BANKMAN-FRIED’S SUPER PAC, PROTECT OUR FUTURE, SPENT NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS ON FROST TV ADS. BANKMAN-FRIED ALSO DONATED A TOTAL OF $5,800 TO THE CAMPAIGN. >> WE HAVE GONE AHEAD AND DONATED THAT TO THE ZEBRA COALITION THAT HELPS HOUSELESS YOUTH HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. THEY DO AMAZING WORK. REPORTER: FROST TELLS ME HE IS HOPING TO DO AMAZING WORK FOR

Florida’s Maxwell Frost, first Gen Z politician on Capitol Hill, tells WESH 2 about his goals

He’ll be the youngest member of Congress when he’s sworn in Jan. 3.That makes Orange County’s new congressman, Maxwell Frost, the first Generation Z, or “Gen Z” politician on Capitol Hill.WESH 2 Political Reporter Greg Fox talked with Frost one on one, about his goals, and challenges ahead.Fox: Do you sometimes feel like a kid among grownups when you walk around Congress? Frost: (laughs) Uh, yeah. Not so much. I’m used to being the youngest person in the room and like when I worked for the ACLU, I was like 21.Maxwell Frost is used to hearing jokes about his age. During his first trip to Washington, D.C.”And I remember one time they were like let me see your badge and I showed them my badge and they were like cheering and they were jumping up and down and saying, ‘Only in America! You’re so young and you’re Black!’ They were so excited about it,” he said.Frost, who is also of Cuban heritage, is the first Gen “Z” member of Congress, born between 1997 and 2012.Like many voters his age, he sometimes feels ignored by older politicians. His goal is to represent young people at the table.As the national organizing director for March For Our Lives, Frost is most passionate about ending gun violence. He joined students after the 2018 massacre in Parkland, but says the addition of a red flag law and gun purchase restrictions passed back then, don’t go far enough.He aims to change that in Washington, D.C.”We also have to view gun violence and general violence as the symptom of root causes: poverty, not having a decent wage, not having health care so when we are able to lift the standard of living in this country, people are less likely to use guns to solve their problems,” Frost said.Frost had some campaign business to clean up this week after his biggest donor was arrested. Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX Cryptocurrency exchange, is accused of swindling money from investors, including celebrities like quarterback Tom Brady.Election finance records say Bankman-Fried’s Super PAC, Protect Our Future, spent nearly $1 million on Frost TV ads. Bankman-Fried also donated a total of $5,800 to the campaign.”We have gone ahead and donated that to the Zebra Coalition that helps houseless youth here in central Florida. They do amazing work,” Frost said.Frost says he is hoping to do amazing work for central Florida, when sworn in Jan. 3.

He’ll be the youngest member of Congress when he’s sworn in Jan. 3.

That makes Orange County’s new congressman, Maxwell Frost, the first Generation Z, or “Gen Z” politician on Capitol Hill.

WESH 2 Political Reporter Greg Fox talked with Frost one on one, about his goals, and challenges ahead.

Fox: Do you sometimes feel like a kid among grownups when you walk around Congress? Frost: (laughs) Uh, yeah. Not so much. I’m used to being the youngest person in the room and like when I worked for the ACLU, I was like 21.

Maxwell Frost is used to hearing jokes about his age. During his first trip to Washington, D.C.

“And I remember one time they were like let me see your badge and I showed them my badge and they were like cheering and they were jumping up and down and saying, ‘Only in America! You’re so young and you’re Black!’ They were so excited about it,” he said.

Frost, who is also of Cuban heritage, is the first Gen “Z” member of Congress, born between 1997 and 2012.

Like many voters his age, he sometimes feels ignored by older politicians. His goal is to represent young people at the table.

As the national organizing director for March For Our Lives, Frost is most passionate about ending gun violence. He joined students after the 2018 massacre in Parkland, but says the addition of a red flag law and gun purchase restrictions passed back then, don’t go far enough.

He aims to change that in Washington, D.C.

“We also have to view gun violence and general violence as the symptom of root causes: poverty, not having a decent wage, not having health care so when we are able to lift the standard of living in this country, people are less likely to use guns to solve their problems,” Frost said.

Frost had some campaign business to clean up this week after his biggest donor was arrested. Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX Cryptocurrency exchange, is accused of swindling money from investors, including celebrities like quarterback Tom Brady.

Election finance records say Bankman-Fried’s Super PAC, Protect Our Future, spent nearly $1 million on Frost TV ads. Bankman-Fried also donated a total of $5,800 to the campaign.

“We have gone ahead and donated that to the Zebra Coalition that helps houseless youth here in central Florida. They do amazing work,” Frost said.

Frost says he is hoping to do amazing work for central Florida, when sworn in Jan. 3.