WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Leaders We Deserve, the grassroots organization co-founded by David Hogg to elect young progressives across the country, endorsed the following rising stars: Tyler Smith (TX-HD-138, age 26), Jacob Martinez (AZ-LD-09, age 24), Claire Heinrich (MO-HD-110, age 27), and Christian Phelps (WI-HD-93, age 32).
“Status-quo Democrats have failed to meet the moment, so we’re backing young leaders with spines,” said David Hogg, President & Co-Founder of Leaders We Deserve. “These candidates have strong track records of leadership already and are best equipped to fight back against Republicans rigging our elections. We’re building deep benches of power in these key states, putting people in seats who understand how expensive it is to raise a family, buy a home, or get healthcare. While they tell us to ‘wait our turn,’ our generation’s future is being sold. We’re done waiting for permission to lead, we’re organizing, fighting, and winning now.”
Tyler Smith was a Presidential Fellow under President Joe Biden and worked in DC as an Executive Assistant for U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff. Since returning to Houston, where he was raised, he’s served as the Deputy Regional Director for Everytown for Gun Safety, where he builds coalitions of survivors and legislators across the South to increase government engagement, supports volunteers in their advocacy efforts, and collaborates with activists across the ideological spectrum to find common ground. His work is informed by his personal experiences losing loved ones to gun violence.
Tyler recently completed the Obama Foundation’s Leaders Program, for leaders working in the public sector, civil society, and the private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good. Tyler has also volunteered as a coach at MLB’s Urban Youth Academy.
“I am incredibly honored to be endorsed by Leaders We Deserve, an organization that understands the urgency of electing the next generation of transformational leaders. Our campaign is about proving that young leaders can bridge divides and take on the toughest fights for our communities, from expanding healthcare access to fighting for fair wages. With the support of LWD, I am ready to take on the political establishment in Austin and build a Texas that truly serves working families,” said Tyler Smith.
Jacob Martinez is a lifelong Mesa resident and dedicated community advocate running to represent LD 9 in the Arizona State Legislature. Raised in Mesa and a proud graduate of Mesa Public Schools, Jacob understands firsthand how strong classrooms and supportive educators can shape a young person’s future. In addition to his local roots, Jacob serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a MA-2, a mid-level petty officer. That same commitment drives his work in the community, from advocating for students to helping neighbors navigate some of the area’s most pressing challenges. When Jacob was a 16-year-old Dobson High School student, he resigned as Chair of the Arizona Teenage Republicans because of the party’s inability to address gun violence prevention. Since then, Martinez helped organize Phoenix March For Our Lives and has been active in his community.
“Gen Z has spent years organizing, registering voters, now we’re taking the next step and running for office. We’re tired of being tossed aside and told our opinions don’t matter. It’s such an honor to have the support of Leaders We Deserve in that fight to ensure we can run strong and meaningful campaigns,” said Jacob Martinez.
Claire Heinrich was born and raised in Washington, Missouri. Her father works in a small Missouri based manufacturing company and her mother is a public school teacher – most of it as a special education teacher. She attended the public school system and graduated in the top of her class. Her hard work academically was rewarded with a scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis (Wash U) where she was one of a handful of women to graduate in Computer Science. She went to work as a computer programmer and worked for companies in marketing and later in the new private space launch industry. Since she’s started working on her MBA in nonprofit management, she has spent her time working with high school kids learning the skills to present their ideas, negotiate with others and come to a consensus. She also volunteers her time with a food pantry serving the underprivileged in the area.
“Earning the endorsement of Leaders We Deserve, an organization committed to accountable representation, is a sign to the people of my district that this campaign will always put people ahead of special interests. I’m honored to have Leaders We Deserve in my corner for this race.
said,” Claire Heinrich.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, Christian Phelps returned to Wisconsin to work as a special education paraprofessional in public schools, where he was an MTI/WEAC/NEA union member and worked second and third jobs to scrape together a living wage. He later earned a master’s in journalism from Cardiff University, then came home to Eau Claire in the spring of 2020. He has written about LGBTQ+ rights, indigenous sovereignty, public education, and more, and he served as Communications Director for Wisconsin Public Education Network for nearly five years before taking office — a role that allowed him to help advocate across Wisconsin support their local public schools, students, and educators in a nonpartisan way. He serves on the Steering Committee of Support Eau Claire Public Schools and on the Board of Trustees for the Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation. Christian flipped his seat in 2024, winning the primary against author Nickolas Butler, winning by just 313 votes. In the general election, Phelps defeated Republican James Rolbiecki, a real estate developer and member of the town board of Washington with 52.8% of the vote. Phelps is a member of the Socialist Caucus. In the legislature, Phelps is a member of the Democratic Caucus, the Socialist Caucus, and vice-chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus, and the Committees on Education and Public Benefit Reform. Phelps has been a particularly active member of the legislature, putting up bills to allow the Department of Health Services to purchase eligible residents’ medical debt from commercial debt collectors and health care providers and abolish the medical debt, prohibiting a law enforcement agency from accessing personal data in exchange for payment without a warrant, funding for child care provider workforce training and expanding student ID coverage for voting.
“I’m proud to have the support of Leaders We Deserve in my re-election campaign. Young leaders everywhere are demanding a new generation of bold, progressive leadership–folks willing to challenge the status quo and do what’s right, no matter whether it’s convenient. Together, we’re building power not just in this seat, but in every space where decisions about our future are made,” said Christian Phelps.
