In a recent study done by NBC News, Gen Z voters were asked about their political leanings and what policies they view as most important in this year’s election. As was expected, most said they would vote for Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, yet the margin between Harris and Trump supporters was a little larger than anticipated.
The results showed that among voters between 18 and 29, 50/100 would vote for Harris, 34/100 would vote for Trump, 10/100 wouldn’t, and the remaining six say they would vote for a different candidate.
You may think this is because Gen Z tends to be invested in the inclusion and acceptance of LGBTQ+ members and their rights. Or maybe about how passionate they are about stricter gun laws and sustainable practices to protect the government from climate change. But when asked what policies were more important to them, 42/100 said that it was Inflation/cost of living and the threats to democracy.
Interestingly enough, these have been two of Donald Trump’s biggest talking points during his entire campaign. He has mentioned time and time again how the Democratic party is ruining the democracy this country was founded on, and how Harris being appointed as the Democratic candidate was not done in a way that gave the people a choice. Plus, Trump has promised to work on fixing the economy on his first day in office and has proven before he knows the ins and outs of the business side of things to lower the cost of everyday living.
So why does Gen Z want Harris? It’s a very deep question that doesn’t have one true answer. But if you ask me, a massive part of it is what’s being shown on TV’s and phone screens across the country. Without question, media outlets all over the United States, except a few, have painted Donald Trump as a “villain” in this upcoming election. When he makes a statement, oftentimes it is taken in a negative tone and mocked by certain outlets who will then turn around and glorify Harris without dissecting what she said and whether or not it was accurate. There are countless other examples of this on the internet, social media, or even on your TV right now.
The full study can be found below and has some really interesting insight into how Gen Z views politics in 2024.
