Young voters of the Gen Z (18 – 25) and Millennial (26 – 40) groups turned out in strong numbers these past midterms to back progressive ballot measures on abortion, forced prison labor, marijuana, Medicaid expansion, and minimum wage. Nationally, young voters supported Democrats over Republicans by 28 points. It was these same groups who also helped Biden decisively defeat former President Donald Trump in 2020.
Executive director of the youth-led Sunrise Movement, Varshini Prakash said, "Two elections in a row, young people proved that Gen Z is a vital voting bloc that can and will be the bedrock of the Democratic Party."
The conservative GOP relies primarily on the older generations for their support. Look at Florida, where they won all their elections handily and where the majority of voters there are still of the older generations. But as the younger generations are growing stronger in numbers, the older generations are growing weaker, which does not bode well for the old-style conservative thinkers.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet, “The role of young people in this election cannot be understated. Turnout delivered on many of these races. By 2024, Millennials & Gen Z voters will outnumber voters who are Baby Boomers and older, 45/25. We are beginning to see the political impacts of that generational shift.”
For years, studies have shown that the younger generations were leaving the Republican party in favor of the Democrats.
This ‘generational shift’ will be bad news for the GOP. When progressive 25-year-old Maxwell Alejandro Frost won in Florida’s 10th Congressional District and is now set to be the first member of Gen Z in Congress—the Sunrise Movement declared that "young people are taking over."
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