Republicans are losing support among young male voters as the midterms draw closer.
This could raise concerns on the right after they made significant inroads with this demographic in the 2024 election.
From The Hill:
Democrats appear to be gaining ground with young men, a key voting bloc for the GOP’s success last election cycle, ahead of the midterms, according to a new survey released on Thursday.
The Cygnal poll found that likely male voters between the ages of 18-30 were more likely to support a Democrat over a Republican on a generic ballot this November.
Around 52 percent of survey respondents selected the Democratic candidate option, while about 42 percent said they would elect a Republican candidate and 5 percent said they were unsure.
Politico was the first to report on the survey’s results.
Exit polling from the 2024 election showed Republicans with a slight advantage among this voting demographic, with just a little more than half of men between the ages of 18-29 supporting President Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in that year’s presidential race.
Former President Biden won a similar share of male voters in this age group in the 2020 presidential race, and this new poll could be an indication that young American men are moving back in the favor of Democrats this November.
More than 55 percent of the young men surveyed in the Cygnal poll said they held an unfavorable view of Trump and around 48 percent had a negative view of the Republican Party overall. The Democratic Party fared slightly better but still had a net-negative favorability rating among these voters.
Messaging matters. This crap has to stop.
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) September 22, 2026
Republicans have been doing better lately pointing out their wins and pointing out Dem insanity. That’s good.
This stuff loses us elections. This is kicking dirt in people’s faces. Stop this. https://t.co/GL16s47KE1
The survey also asked respondents about which policy objectives would make the “biggest difference” in their lives. Thirty-eight percent indicated that lowering grocery and everyday costs would make the largest impact, while nearly 32 percent selected more affordable housing options.
Some of the factors leading to this trend are predictable. The young men who gravitated toward Trump in 2024 did so largely as the result of living under former President Joe Biden’s inflationary policies. After years of dealing with higher grocery and gas prices, along with increasing rent, they took a chance on the GOP.
Young men are swinging away hard from Republicans, pessimistic about economy, new poll finds
— John Anzalone (@JohnAnzo) September 25, 2026
Democrats’ generic ballot lead among men ages 18-30 who say they are the most determined to vote now sits at 57%-40%, according to the poll by @cygnal.
Trump’s favorability is…
But what we’re seeing is the usual midterm pattern. Voters tend to blame the party that holds the White House for economic problems — whether the criticism is deserved or not. In this case, the inflation started under Biden. While the Trump administration is taking steps to correct the issue, there is no overnight solution.
As the survey indicates, none of this means young men have suddenly started trusting the Democrat Party to rectify the issue. But it does mean they are likely hoping another change might bring relief.