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A Harvard University analysis suggests that young Americans, aged 18-29, are shifting from liberal stances and leaning more towards conservatism.
John Della Volpe, from the Harvard Kennedy Institute of Politics, observed a decline in younger Americans associating with the Democratic Party. In 2019, 39% of the youth identified as Democrats; by the next year, this decreased to 35%.
There was a rise in those identifying as independents or unaffiliated, from 36% in 2019 to 40% in the present year. Those identifying as Republicans also saw a marginal increase from 23% to 24%.
Additionally, Della Volpe noted that the intent of these young voters to participate in upcoming elections has decreased from 55% during the 2020 election cycle to the current 51%.
He emphasized the crucial role this demographic plays for the Democratic Party both now and in future elections.
Historical data from Gallup shows an increasing trend in Americans identifying as independents, with Generation X and millennials mainly maintaining this stance as they get older.
This differs from older generations who typically associated more with a specific party as they aged. In the 2020 elections, 61% of voters below 30 years backed Biden.
However, their support for Democrats in upcoming elections remains uncertain.
In a separate study from the University of Michigan, it was noted that senior high school boys are moving towards conservative values while their female counterparts lean more liberal.
The study found a growing preference among 12th-grade boys towards conservatism, whereas girls of the same age identified as liberal at a rate of about 30%, a substantial increase from 2015.
Commenting on these findings, psychotherapist Thomas Kersting mentioned on “Fox & Friends” that societal narratives, which often highlight issues with “White men,” might influence these young men’s conservative shift.
He also noted a societal focus on promoting women and minorities, suggesting that this might push more young men towards conservative values because they feel left behind. He emphasized the importance of promoting all groups without undermining another.