Young Democratic Leader Calls for Political Revolution from the Ground Up

U of A organizer Ben Armentrout calls on party elders to listen to the demands of Gen Z and build real power through grassroots action.

In a blistering and inspiring address to the Democrats of Greater Tucson, Ben Armentrout, president of the University of Arizona College Democrats, delivered a powerful message: Young people are no longer content to be political foot soldiers—they want real power, real voice, and real results.

“We will no longer be pawns,” said Armentrout, an optical science PhD student and former Kamala Harris campus organizing fellow. “We will organize together, support our allies, and leverage our shared political power for a better future.”

U of A College Dems has endorsed:

• Miranda Schubert, age 41, a Democratic candidate for Tucson City Council Ward 6.
• Sadie Shaw, age 35, also a Democratic city council candidate for Ward 3.

“We’re not just the future of the party. We’re here now.”

With more than 170 members and growing influence, Armentrout’s College Democrats are getting involved in the CD7 and city council races. “Candidates are finally reaching out. They’re starting to get it—we’re not just the future of the party. We’re here now,” Armentrout said.

• The College Dems have a detailed questionnaire for Democrats to explain which issue matters the most to them.
• Supporters can make donations to the College Dems on ActBlue.

A Duke University physics graduate, Armentrout detailed a growing frustration among young Democrats with a party leadership he describes as out of touch, ineffective, and beholden to corporate interests. “Every single institution has failed our generation in this country,” he said. “Schools, healthcare, housing, jobs, the environment—everything sucks. And unless we offer a compelling alternative, people won’t vote.”

Democrats have lost touch.

His frustration echoes a growing sentiment among young Democrats nationwide who feel their party has lost touch with the economic realities facing their generation. After spending 20 hours a week canvassing for the Harris campaign, Armentrout witnessed firsthand how the Democratic message failed to resonate with voters.

Rather than accept the traditional role of young Democrats as “training organizations for young people to fall into the volunteer file of candidates,” Armentrout founded the University of Arizona College Democrats in December 2024 with a different vision. The group would function as an independent political force, not a subsidiary of the party apparatus.

One of their first victories was a campaign to block ICE enforcement activity on campus, in partnership with groups such as LUCHA and Students for Justice in Palestine. The coalition forced the university to release information and take preliminary steps to protect immigrant students.

“We found power by working outside the party infrastructure,” Armentrout said. “We’re not beholden to money—we’re beholden to people.”

The group has since taken on issues ranging from defending cultural centers to supporting climate action and resisting Republican attacks on DEI programs.

Democrats Must Deliver

Armentrout didn’t hold back in his criticism of national Democrats. He warned that the disconnect between the party’s stated values and its governing actions is alienating young voters.

“Our platform talks about affordable housing and universal healthcare—but our electeds don’t deliver,” he said. “If the DNC continues relying on big money and ignoring grassroots voices, there will be hell to pay.”

He called for a political shift where endorsements are earned by results, not seniority, and where elected officials are held accountable by the people who put them in office. “We’re like a labor union—organizing to win concessions.”

A Warning to the Democratic Party

Perhaps most significantly, Armentrout’s movement represents a potential fracture within the Democratic Party itself. He warns that young Democrats are increasingly frustrated with a party that “stops the crank from going back to the left” while Republicans “turn the crank to the right.”

“When the priorities of the national party’s fundraising apparatus are so far apart from what the voters actually want, we are heading towards a rupture,” he said.

The solution, according to Armentrout, is to build “an organizing apparatus for a party that prioritizes the actual people who work in it” rather than corporate donors. He believes grassroots organizing with “a convincing message” can overcome the influence of money in politics.

As Armentrout prepares to launch endorsements for local races, his message to older Democrats is clear: Young people won’t be “pawns” in someone else’s political game anymore. They’re building their own power base and demanding that elected officials earn their support through concrete action, not empty promises.

Messaging That Resonates

Asked why young people often seem disengaged or unaware, Armentrout blamed the party’s failure to meet voters where they are. “Republicans built a powerful propaganda machine. Democrats didn’t. If all people see is Biden falling on the stairs, that becomes the brand of the party.”

He challenged Democrats to stop blaming young voters and instead inspire them with bold messaging. “We need huge things to be done so people believe voting matters,” he said. “Everything sucks, and we need to say: ‘Here’s why—and here’s what we’re going to do about it.'”

The problem, he contends, is that Democrats have failed to build the kind of comprehensive media infrastructure that Republicans have created through organizations like Turning Point USA and conservative influencers. While Republicans have built “a propaganda machine,” Democrats rely on traditional media that young people simply don’t consume.

“Young people don’t read the paper. They don’t listen to NPR,” Armentrout said. “What they see about the news is completely curated by the one party (Republicans) that has actually made an effort to build up a propaganda machine.”

When asked about potential presidential candidates who might address the concerns of young Democrats, Armentrout pointed to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as someone who understands the economic realities facing young Americans. Her experience as a waitress and bartender, he argues, gives her credibility when speaking about employment instability and low wages.

“She understands reality, which is the reality for far too many young Americans,” he said. “You can have a job where you request to work full-time. They will schedule you for 12 hours a week while asking you to train new staff.”

Focusing on Economic Issues

What sets Armentrout apart from typical student activists is his laser focus on economic issues that directly impact young people’s lives. When asked about his members’ primary concerns, his answer was strikingly simple: “A job that pays enough that you can go out to a restaurant and not worry about your bank account.”

Armentrout praised progressive leaders like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who “understands the reality” of economic instability and corporate exploitation. “I will never canvass for someone backed by corporate money in 2028,” he vowed.

He called on Democrats to rethink their priorities, reject top-down control, and listen to the generation coming of age in a broken system. “The best man or woman isn’t getting the job,” he said. “That’s why we’re organizing.”