Has American culture arrived at a turning point? Perhaps helped in part by Turning Point USA and Young Americas Foundation, two groups evangelizing for conservative values on college campuses?
Perhaps we should keep the bubbly corked before celebrating a youth revival for the Right. However, as David reported yesterday, the data keep growing for a political earthquake among youth voters. David’s post focused on data and analysis published by Ezra Klein in the New York Times that warned that Democrats are losing immigrants, Hispanics, blacks, and younger voters — and the latter may be the most troubling for progressives.
Later yesterday, YAF published the results of its own polling, which corroborated Klein’s data and analysis. The poll took place in the first two weeks of Trump’s term, with a sample of slightly more than a thousand registered voters below the age of 30. The data show a significant tilt to the Right among such voters, despite — or maybe because — of the radicalism on college campuses over the last 18 months:
- More young liberals voted for Donald Trump than young conservatives voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election
- More than half of young liberals said their views on social issues have shifted “much more” to the Left in recent years
- Young conservatives say their political views are informed by their own experiences, families, and religion — not being “brainwashed” by prominent influencers online
- In the wake of the 2024 election, young conservatives are emboldened and more likely than their liberal or independent peers to feel comfortable sharing their views
- The cost of living, jobs, and the economy remain the top concerns for young Americans
The data certainly has some surprises, but perhaps the most surprising is the enthusiasm that Trump voters had in this cohort. Eighty-four percent of Trump voters supported him personally, while only 15% said they chose Trump as a way to vote against Kamala Harris. Only 58% of Harris voters really supported her personally, while 40% cast those votes as a way to oppose Trump.
This data certainly looks just as surprising. Trump got more of the “moderate” vote than Harris did, for instance. And young men are — unsurprisingly — more conservative than young women:
One point in particular might be driving young moderates to the Right: transgenderism. This movement has taken aim at young adults and children for most of the past decade, if not longer. The effort to normalize transgenderism, and even more so to force an end to sex-based access to sports and facilities, has likely hit this generation the hardest. And yet this poll shows that young voters sharply oppose biological males competing in women’s sports by a 57/28 margin overall, and 69/19 among moderates. Even among liberals, it’s only seen as fair by a thin 42/35 margin.
One has to marvel at the failure of the Left’s full-court press on transgenderism among this cohort. And one also has to wonder whether the rejection of the unreality-based idea that sex is a feeling rather than a biological reality has had some corrosive effect on the standing of progressives among younger voters. After having rejected this mirage, the rest of the Left’s bizarre tribalism probably doesn’t get much credibility either.
And this might be especially deadly to the Left:
This looks like it comes of a piece with the data on transgenderism. No demo within this cohort of young voters has a plurality of trust in the Protection Racket Media — and it’s not even close. The narrowest gap here is among conservatives (seven points), surprisingly. Otherwise, it’s double digits overall and among the other two groups.
Needless to say, this data gives good reason for optimism about the future. We have despaired at times over the years that the progressive brainwashing in our education systems is too powerful to overcome and that our culture and liberties had become endangered species. Perhaps — just perhaps — the Left and the mainstream media have overreached and discredited themselves enough so that young Americans are looking for real truth, hope, and optimism for themselves … and for us.
Entirely Pedantic Addendum: I hate the pseudo-word “alright” with the fire of a thousand suns. The proper form is “all right.” However, the documentary/album title by The Who used “alright,” which is the reference for the headline. Just sayin’.
The latest episode of The Ed Morrissey Show podcast is now up! Today’s show features:
- Is the NYT Killing America? So writes John Kass, in an essay that Andrew Malcolm flagged for our latest episode.
- The mainstream media certainly seems on board with the effort to kill Tesla; Andrew and I compare their coverage of an extended domestic-terror campaign against Elon Musk’s business interests and their obsession with January 6.
- The potential return of Rahm Emanuel gives Andrew a chance to recall his earlier connection to the former mayor of Chicago at the beginning of Emanuel’s career.
- And can we really keep up with China’s naval expansion?
The Ed Morrissey Show is now a fully downloadable and streamable show at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, the TEMS Podcast YouTube channel, and on Rumble and our own in-house portal at the #TEMS page!
