The Un-Hillarys

In the shadow of Donald Trump, thousands of millennials are gunning to save the Democratic Party

- Emily Cadei

STANDING IN her parents’ pastel-hued living room, the low hum of a neighbor’s hedge trimmer buzzing behind her, Hannah Risheq launched her campaign for the Virginia Legislature with a slightly rambling speech that was peppered with “like,” “um” and other youthful tics.

Despite her lack of polish, there was something compelling about the baby-faced 25-year old Democratic candidate. A big part of it is her personal story: Her Palestinian immigrant father and Jewish mother were pushed out of Greensboro, North Carolina, when customers stopped patronizing their restaurant after the September 11 attacks. The family of five headed north and started over in the salad bowl of Virginia’s Fairfax County.

But there’s another aspect of Risheq’s allure: her intensity. She captivated the roughly two dozen people who attended her launch party in April—from gray-haired neighbors to 20-something friends and volunteers. “I’m standing up,” Risheq promised, “and I’m going to take down [Republican incumbent] Jim LeMunyon.”