Kyle Little was born in 1988 and grew up in Union County, New Jersey. He graduated from Linden High School in 2006 and attended Montclair State University. Little earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Spanish in 2011. He returned to MSU and completed his Master’s Degree in 2014.
A former personal trainer turned business owner and adjunct professor, Little is centering his bid for Congress on a life story shaped by movement, mentorship, and firsthand experience with the financial strains facing young Americans. Growing up, Little played soccer, basketball, and ran track. He says his passion for health and community began long before politics. In college, he pledged a fraternity and joined the chapter’s step team, eventually choreographing routines—an experience he says deepened his appreciation for discipline, creativity, and teamwork. That interest led him to study exercise science, begin work as a personal trainer, and build long-term relationships with clients.
“Helping people transform their lives physically and mentally is what grounded me,” Little said on his campaign website, kylelittleforcongress.com.
While in college, Little took on numerous leadership roles. He served as President of the Gamma Iota Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. on two separate occasions. In 2009–2010, he was Treasurer and Vice President of the Latin American Student Organization—as an African American male. He worked in Residence Life as a Resident Assistant and served as public relations chair for the Montclair State chapter of the NAACP. In 2009, Little earned a Dean of Students Leadership in Service Award.
Throughout his fraternity experience, Little held regional and national roles. He served as Regional Secretary of the Atlantic Coast Region for four years and was the Undergraduate Representative on the National Board of Directors from 2009 to 2011.
Kyle brands his candidacy for Congress as a “Fighter Against Fascism,” aiming to strongly push back against the Trump administration. He believes the Democratic Party needs more fighters. That conviction led him to challenge incumbent Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman, who had the full backing of the party establishment, despite his personal admiration for her. “Although I love Bonnie, I strongly felt it was time for a new generation of leadership.”
Bonnie Watson Coleman recently announced that she will not seek reelection in the 2026 midterms. Since then, three other challengers have entered the race. “I have been in a fight since day one,” Little said. “Since I publicly launched my campaign on May 17, 2025, I have been all over New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.”
I attended “No Kings” rallies in Princeton and Trenton. I have shown my support for the Muslim community in East Brunswick, NJ, by attending their symposium on the crisis in Gaza. I threw a charity Dog Hike, through which we raised over $600 to donate to Hope4Paws in North Plainfield, NJ. I am currently hosting a food drive at Isolation Fitness to provide food for food pantries across Middlesex County.
I am in this race to fight for all marginalized communities. If elected to Congress, I will be the first openly gay man from the state of New Jersey to serve.
Little opened his own fitness studio, Isolation Fitness, after working in commercial gyms where he saw significant gaps between what clients paid and what trainers earned. That experience pushed him to create a business model built on fairness and accessibility. Operating the studio for a decade shaped his political outlook as he navigated budgeting, strategy, and growth without financial bailouts. Little contrasts his experience with prominent business leaders-turned-politicians, arguing that he brings a more practical understanding of small-business realities.
In addition to running his studio, Little teaches as an adjunct professor and often urges students to evaluate which political leaders truly understand the challenges facing young adults. He has spoken openly about carrying $75,000 in student loan debt after graduate school and the difficulty he and his husband faced when buying their first home because of his debt-to-income ratio. Those experiences inform his policy priorities, including housing affordability, childcare costs, and student loan relief.
“Young people want leaders who understand what they’re up against—and I do, because I’ve lived it,” he said. Little frames his campaign as an effort to represent working families and students seeking stable paths toward financial security and opportunity.
