Republicans’ Youth Problem: Economic Angst Pushes 18–34s Toward Democrats Ahead Of Midterms

Two years after young voters swung right and helped Republicans win unified control of Washington in 2024, a new national poll of more than 1,000 Americans ages 18–34 shows a notable shift back toward Democrats as the midterms approach.

Poll Highlights

The nonpartisan Generation Lab survey, shared exclusively with POLITICO, finds young people planning to vote Democratic by 52% to 19%. The party breakdown reveals a weakness for the GOP: only 58% of young Republicans say they will back the GOP in November, while nearly a third of that group answers "neither" or says they won’t vote. By contrast, 85% of young Democrats intend to turn out for their party.

Economy Drives Dissatisfaction

Economic anxiety is central to the trend. Overall, 81% of young Americans rate U.S. economic conditions as "bad" or "terrible," including 68% of young Republicans. When asked who is to blame, 41% of respondents named President Donald Trump, 9% blamed congressional Republicans, and 31% pointed to corporate greed or big companies. Only 6% blamed President Joe Biden or congressional Democrats.

"We tie this really closely to what people can see and feel and touch in terms of their own personal economic situation," said Cyrus Beschloss, Generation Lab’s founder and CEO. "Saying that affordability is a 'line of bullshit' is definitely not helping — to the extent that young people are clued into that."

Turnout And Influence

Beschloss cautioned that low turnout limits this group's immediate electoral clout: "Young people are voting at just obscenely low rates." Even if younger voters lean away from the GOP, their power today is stronger as a cultural force — setting trends and shaping public debate — than as concentrated electoral leverage.

Foreign Policy And Young Voters

The survey also finds widespread youth opposition to recent military action: 77% say the U.S. made the wrong decision in striking Iran, and 75% disapprove or strongly disapprove of Trump’s handling of the action.

How Parties Are Responding

Republicans say they are addressing cost-of-living concerns with a message emphasizing lower government spending, tax breaks and criticism of Democrats. The GOP has also stepped up outreach to younger audiences on TikTok and other social platforms, producing direct candidate-to-voter content and shareable, pro-America material designed to generate organic reach.

"After years of skyrocketing costs and economic uncertainty under Joe Biden and Democrats, combined with the left’s alienating, out-of-touch rhetoric, young Americans are fed up with empty promises," said RNC National Press Secretary Kiersten Pels. "They want real results, and Republicans are speaking directly to them in a way that resonates."

Democrats, meanwhile, have expanded creator networks and digital infrastructure — using YouTube, podcasts, social media, influencers and newsletters to reach younger voters. DCCC spokesperson Aidan Johnson said affordability has been a central theme: "Young voters’ top concern is affordability, and we’ve been beating the drum on that issue all cycle."

Looking Ahead

The Generation Lab poll also asked young Americans about early 2028 preferences. Name recognition leads: among Democrats, Kamala Harris (31%) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (23%) register highest. Among Republicans, Vice President JD Vance registers 25% and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 13%. Tied for seventh overall at 4% each among young respondents are Jon Stewart, Mark Cuban and Tucker Carlson.

Low turnout may mute the immediate electoral impact of these attitudes, but the survey shows young Americans remain a powerful cultural and narrative force that both parties are trying to win over ahead of the midterms.