The Democratic Party appears to be losing its hold on a historically loyal group: young voters. Recent polls from CNN reveal a concerning trend for the party, showing President Joe Biden trailing far behind former President Donald Trump among voters under 35, with Biden at 40% compared to Trump’s 51%. Similar results from Gallup and Siena polls underscore this shift.
Rey Anthony, a 28-year-old Republican Party delegate, attributes the trend to economic concerns.
“Well, it’s the economy, the economy, the economy, right? People are graduating college campuses, and they want to make sure they can afford their student loans,” Anthony said.
Florida Republican activist and delegate Sue Snowden has also observed this trend of young voters gravitating towards the Republican Party for its economic policies.
“When they hear issues that will affect them like jobs, salaries, being able to pay rent, food, they think, ‘I may be Republican,’” Snowden said.
U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Gainesville, believes the presence of younger leaders in the Republican Party helps young voters feel represented.
“For starters, we just nominated the youngest vice presidential candidate in my lifetime, JD Vance. He’s 39 years old. As a Millennial, I love seeing that young energy on the ticket. So that’s one of the biggest things right now that we have put our foot down on: that we are very serious about representing millennials and Gen Z,” Cammack said.
Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power emphasized that the Republican Party’s appeal extends beyond representation to actively encouraging youth involvement.
“I think a pick like JD Vance kind of changes the mark. It says you can rise up and get into power at a young age. I think that encourages people, and we share their values,” Power said.
As the political landscape shifts, the Democratic Party faces the challenge of reconnecting with young voters who are increasingly drawn to the Republican Party’s economic message and youthful representation.