Gen Z isn’t sold on Biden but Anderson Clayton is out to convince them

When Anderson Clayton walks into the room casually dressed in a fun graphic tee, nearly everyone’s head turns and the noisy chatter lulls into excited whispers. Eyes remain locked on her as she begins embracing each of her fellow Democrat leaders.

Clayton is somewhat of a local celebrity in North Carolina, her energy enough to move an immovable object.

The rest of the country doesn’t realise that this 26-year-old is currently leading the Democratic Party in North Carolina, a pretty serious job at any age.

But for those at the Young Democrats of North Carolina Convention, not only is she the state party leader, she is the future.

Anderson Clayton speaks at the Young Democrats of North Carolina Convention

A natural politician, Clayton works the room recalling people’s names and a fun fact about them all while spreading the good word of the Democratic Party. After all, her job as the state party chair is to network, fundraise and get people to vote.

Yet Clayton approaches her role with a refreshing irreverence: She cracks jokes, swears like a sailor and drops “vibes”, “mood” and “feels” into her conversations.

When she speaks about the Democratic agenda, she doesn’t stop. In fact, she speaks so much that by the time she takes the stage at the convention, her voice is hoarse and begins disappearing during inflections. That doesn’t stop Clayton from ad-libbing an impassioned speech about the importance of maintaining democracy and fighting for the values young people believe in.

That enthusiasm is exactly what makes Clayton the perfect surrogate for the Biden–Harris campaign in recruiting young people to get out and vote, especially in a potential swing state like North Carolina.

Unlike many of her fellow Gen Z voters,