Meet the new 'Squad': The next generation of Trump-era progressive congressional candidates

A new generation of progressive Democrats is rising to challenge the status quo in the US Congress. Inspired by President Donald Trump's sweeping second-term agenda, these young lawmakers are galvanized to redefine the party's future and push for bold, sweeping economic change.

The original "Squad" - a group of left-wing lawmakers that includes Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 as a referendum on Trump's first term. Now, with Trump back in office and Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, a new wave of progressive candidates is emerging across the country.

At the forefront of this movement are recognizable names like mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow, and progressive congressional candidates Kat Abughazaleh and Aftyn Behn. These candidates are all part of what one might call "Squad 2.0" - a new generation of radical Democrats shaping the party's future.

One of the most notable newcomers is Saikat Chakrabarti, who ran Ocasio-Cortez's successful 2018 congressional campaign and served as her chief of staff. Now, he's challenging House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her congressional district in San Francisco - a seat she has held since 1987.

Chakrabarti's policy platform includes Medicare-for-all, a wealth tax on the ultra-rich, millions of units of housing, a ban on congressional stock trading, and an end to military funding for Israel. He believes that voters are "sick and tired of corruption" and want real solutions to their problems - rather than just more of the same from the establishment.

Another notable candidate is Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is vying for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat next year. A former leader in Detroit's Health Department, El-Sayed believes that everyone should have access to affordable healthcare and wants to abolish medical debt.

Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson has also gained national attention for his advocacy on climate justice issues. Expelled from the Republican-led legislature just months after taking office, he was re-elected weeks later with 94% of the vote and is now running for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District.

These young progressives are all part of a larger movement to challenge the status quo in the Democratic Party - one that prioritizes bold action over incremental change. Whether or not this new generation will be successful remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: they're not going to let anyone else define their future.

I'm low-key hyped about this new wave of progressive Democrats taking over ! It's like, finally, some fresh faces and bold ideas in the Congress . These youngbloods are inspired by Ocasio-Cortez's whole "Squad" thing and now they're bringing their own flavor to the party . Saikat Chakrabarti's Medicare-for-all plan is a game-changer, and Abdul El-Sayed's commitment to affordable healthcare is long overdue . The fact that they're not afraid to take on the establishment and push for real change is super inspiring . We need more of this kind of energy in politics - it's time for some much-needed disruption !

I'm loving the fact that we're seeing a new wave of progressive Democrats taking on the establishment. It's like they're saying "enough is enough" and wanting real change, not just more of the same old politics. The fact that Saikat Chakrabarti was Ocasio-Cortez's campaign manager and now wants to take on Pelosi is crazy - talk about ambition! And I'm all for Medicare-for-all, a wealth tax, and an end to congressional stock trading - these are some serious policy changes. But what I find really interesting is that they're not just focused on economic issues, they're also pushing for climate justice and abolishing medical debt. It's like they're trying to create a more equitable society and that's something we can all get behind

These young folks are like breath of fresh air , you know? They're not afraid to challenge the system and push for real change . It's amazing that they're drawing inspiration from Trump's agenda, but with a radical twist . I love how Saikat Chakrabarti is speaking truth to power and standing up for Medicare-for-all , it's about time we saw more of this kind of leadership . And Dr. El-Sayed's passion for affordable healthcare is so inspiring . It feels like a new wave of hope for our country. Fingers crossed these candidates can make a real difference

the US is at it again, always trying to redefine themselves... first with Obama, then with the Squad, now with this new gen... all i know is that these young politicians gotta bring the heat if they wanna make a difference . Medicare for all and an end to military funding for Israel? sounds like they're on the same page to me . can't wait to see how this whole thing plays out

omg u guys i'm low-key freaking out about the new gen of prog dems!!! i mean i love a good underdog story and these candidates are giving me LIFE saikat chakrabarti is literally running against nancy pelosi and i'm living for it meanwhile dr abdul el-sayed's stance on affordable healthcare has me like "finally someone's listening" and zohran mamdani's mayoral campaign in detroit is giving me all the hopes and dreams i think its gonna be super interesting to see how these young folks shake things up in congress

I'm loving this shift in the progressive Democrat party . These young leaders are definitely bringing a fresh perspective and willingness to shake things up! Saikat Chakrabarti's policies on Medicare-for-all and wealth tax align so well with my own views . And it's amazing to see Dr. Abdul El-Sayed prioritizing affordable healthcare - we need more people like him fighting for the underdog . Plus, I'm intrigued by Justin Pearson's stance on climate justice - his courage in speaking out despite being expelled from the legislature is truly inspiring . I'm curious to see how these new faces will impact policy and hold those in power accountable . Can't wait to watch this play out!

I'm low-key skeptical about these young progressive Democrats... I mean, have you seen the track record of some of these people? Saikat Chakrabarti's got some pretty radical ideas, like banning congressional stock trading... that's just gonna end up in court and hurt the party's image. And what's with all this " Medicare-for-all" nonsense? We already know that's a pipe dream... or at least it was until now. I'm also not sold on Abdul El-Sayed's healthcare plan - it sounds like more of the same old government handouts. And don't even get me started on Justin Pearson's climate justice stuff... how about some actual solutions instead of just screaming about it? The whole "Squad 2.0" thing is just a fancy name for "more of the same old party politics".

so these young progressive Dem's are actually inspired by trump's agenda? like what's next, a Squad 2.0 loving Pelosi? source on that pls? how can someone who ran Ocasio-Cortez's campaign suddenly turn into a challenger of hers? seems fishy to me... also, how do we know these people aren't just more of the same old Dem's with new faces

I think it's awesome to see a new wave of youngbloods shaking things up in the US Congress! They're bringing some much-needed fresh energy and ideas to the party . It's like they're taking notes from the Trump era, but this time with a radical twist . We need more people who are willing to challenge the status quo and push for real change . Saikat Chakrabarti is definitely someone to keep an eye on - his policies sound super progressive . It'll be interesting to see how these new lawmakers work together and navigate the system . One thing's for sure, they're gonna make some noise !

the us politics landscape is changing so fast i think its cool to see a new wave of young democrats taking the reins and pushing for real change, like medicare-for-all and a wealth tax on the ultra-rich but at the same time, theres still a lot of skepticism about whether they can actually get stuff done

anyway, i think its awesome to see more people talking about climate justice and affordable healthcare these are real issues that affect everyday people and its great to see some fresh faces in office who care about making a difference

I think its gonna be super interesting to see how these young progressives shake things up in Congress! I mean, its been a while since we've seen some real change like this happen. Theyre all about bold action and pushing for economic change which is something the country really needs right now . Saikat Chakrabarti's policy platform sounds pretty solid too - Medicare-for-all and an end to military funding for Israel are definitely things that could spark a national conversation. Its not gonna be easy though, theres gonna be pushback from the establishment and some people might just get intimidated by their radical ideas

I love seeing a new wave of young progressive leaders emerge! Saikat Chakrabarti's policies on Medicare-for-all and wealth tax are so in line with what I've been hearing from my kids about the need for systemic change . It's refreshing to see someone taking on Nancy Pelosi, btw . I'm curious to see how these newbies balance radical change with building a coalition that can actually get things done . And let's be real, having more people like Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in office who genuinely care about healthcare for all is a game-changer !

idk about these new progressives they seem super ambitious tho! Saikat Chakrabarti's got some wild ideas on his policy platform - i'm low-key intrigued by the wealth tax on the ultra-rich but at the same time, isn't that just a fancy name for "taxing the rich even more"? also, can we talk about how they're all trying to take down Nancy Pelosi? she's like the OG Speaker of the House anyone think this is gonna be a wild ride in 2025?

idk why people are surprised about the rise of a new squad . it's been coming for years and now that trump is back in office, these young folks are stepping up to challenge the party's status quo . stats show us that progressive voters have always outnumbered moderates in primaries . in 2020, for example, 61% of democratic primary voters supported the most liberal candidate compared to just 21% who backed the most moderate one . i'm not saying these new progressives are a sure thing, but they're definitely the right reaction to a party that's been too centrist for too long . here's a chart showing how the number of democratic congresspeople with a "progressive" voting record has increased by 150% since 2018 : [image of chart showing an increase from 30 to 75]

omg i'm low-key hyped for these young bloods in the dem party...think trump's 2nd term was a wake-up call for them and now they're out here pushing for real change . like, who wouldn't want free healthcare and affordable housing? it's about time we got some fresh faces in congress that actually care about the people not just the wealthy elites . these candidates are speaking truth to power and i'm here for it . also, can we get a squad 2.0 fan club going pls?

OMG, I'm loving the energy around Squad 2.0 These young progressive Democrats are shaking things up in the US Congress and I am HERE for it Saikat Chakrabarti is low-key my spirit animal - his policy platform sounds so on point Medicare-for-all and a wealth tax? Yes, please! And can we talk about how inspiring it is to see someone like Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who's all about making healthcare accessible to everyone? The climate justice movement needs more people like Justin Pearson, fighting for change in Tennessee It's going to be interesting to see how this new generation of progressives plays out in the next election - I'm rooting for them to shake things up and bring some much-needed radical change

I'm telling ya, the youth these days are something else ! I mean, they're inspired by some guy who's a total opposite of what they stand for? That just blows my mind... I remember back in '98, when Bill Clinton was president and everyone thought it was going to be all about progressive change. But you know what? It didn't quite live up to the hype .

Now, with these new Squad 2.0 folks, they're like, "Hey, we need real change!" And I gotta give 'em credit, their ideas on Medicare-for-all and a wealth tax aren't half bad . But what's gonna happen when the politicians have to make those tough decisions? Only time will tell if this new wave of progressives is gonna shake things up or just end up like so many other movements before 'em...

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what's with all these young progressives trying to shake things up in the US Congress? I mean, I get it, they're inspired by Trump's agenda and want to make some changes, but isn't this just more of the same old politics? aren't we already seeing a lot of radical Democrats trying to push through ambitious policies?

and what about Pelosi's district in San Francisco? is she really going up against Saikat Chakrabarti? didn't she used to be a leader of the Squad 2.0 herself? doesn't that make this whole thing a bit more complicated?

I'm curious, are these young progressives trying to break away from the party's traditional center-left stance and move even further left? would that really be a good thing for the country? or is it just a bunch of idealistic nonsense?