(NewsNation) — Gen Z is making its voice heard in politics— and not just on social media.

Republican Amber Hulse, a newly elected South Dakota state senator, and Nick Jacobson, a Democratic candidate who lost his Pennsylvania House of Representatives race, joined “NewsNation Now” to talk about America’s youngest voters and the future of the nation’s politics.

For Jacobson, 23, running in a battleground state was less about winning and more about fostering “hard conversations.”

“If you want to learn something about your values, learn something about your neighbors. Overcome our polarization in America— try knocking on 3,000 doors of people who don’t see things the way you do,” he said.

Hulse, 24, agreed, adding, “As a young person, it isn’t easy. It’s not easy to run anyway.”

She continued, “I think this red surge was something we were expecting. I’m grateful to be from a state that has been hard-rock conservative for the last few years. It’s a huge honor to be part of this surge and this movement.”