A 24-year-old activist filed to run a primary challenge against two incumbent Assembly Democrats in the 16th legislative district Monday.

Mahmoud Desouky, a South Brunswick resident, will challenge Assemblymembers Roy Freiman (D-Hillsborough) and Mitchelle Drulis (Raritan Twp) in the Democratic primary this June.

Desouky said he recently graduated with a degree in political science at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and will soon start law school at the Newark campus of Rutgers Law. Desouky said he also owns his family business, Dean Plumbing.

“One of the main reasons [I’m running] is to preserve freedom of speech, try to help small business owners and small businesses grow and continue to be sustainable,” Desouky told the New Jersey Globe. “Alongside with that, helping to build the middle class and workforce to continue on, and the final big thing I’m trying to help is definitely with education.”

The 16th legislative district, which Vice President Kamala Harris won includes parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties.

Desouky volunteered on Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign and worked as an intern for Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) in 2021 and 2022, according to his LinkedIn. His LinkedIn also says he’s worked as a coordinator at the Arab America Foundation.

Desouky said he officially launched his campaign last Wednesday and gathered enough signatures to file by Monday, the deadline for June’s primary election. He filed 530 signatures, according to election officials.

He said he thinks the incumbents haven’t listened to voters in the district, and he hopes to get youth further involved in politics.

“I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think I could do a better job or that they’re not doing something that’s right,” he said.