Gen Z is undergoing a surprising political transformation, with young men leading a significant shift toward conservatism that has left Democratic pollsters shocked and political analysts scrambling to understand why.
Key Takeaways
- Polling shows Trump’s approval among 18-29 year olds reached 52.7% in February, with his support among this demographic rising from 36% in 2020 to 47% in 2024.
- A substantial 23-percentage-point gender gap exists among young voters, with Gen Z men significantly more likely to support conservative candidates than their female counterparts.
- Many young men report feeling alienated by modern progressive movements, believing their perspectives are being overlooked or dismissed.
- Gen Z’s political shift contradicts the long-held assumption that younger generations inevitably lean liberal, potentially reshaping American politics for decades.
- Experiences with pandemic policies, economic challenges, and progressive education have contributed to growing skepticism toward liberal institutions among Gen Z.
Democrats Shocked by the Rightward Turn
Democratic pollster David Shor expressed profound surprise at the political realignment occurring among America’s youngest voters: “This is the thing I am the most shocked by in the last four years—that young people have gone from being the most progressive generation since the Baby Boomers… to becoming potentially the most conservative generation that we’ve experienced maybe in 50 to 60 years.” This shift represents a dramatic reversal of Democratic expectations that Millennials and Gen Z would cement a long-term progressive electoral advantage.
AP VoteCast analysis confirms the magnitude of this shift, showing Trump captured 47% of the 18-29 demographic in 2024, a significant increase from 36% in 2020. AtlasIntel polling similarly revealed Trump’s approval rating among this age group reached 52.7% in February. The data points to a consistent pattern rather than a temporary anomaly, suggesting a fundamental realignment that could reshape American politics for years to come.
Democrats staked their entire future on the assumption that young people would be far left no matter what. Instead, Vox founder Ezra Klein admits that Gen Z is the most conservative generation in decades. Among 18-year-olds, Trump won both white women and non-white men.…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 23, 2025
The Gender Divide Driving the Shift
One of the most striking aspects of this political realignment is the significant gender gap. Current polling reveals a 23-percentage-point difference between young men and women, with males far more likely to support conservative candidates and policies. This divide appears to stem from different perceptions of social and cultural changes, with many young men feeling that progressive movements have left them behind or unfairly characterized them.
“My boyfriend’s very right-leaning; however, a lot of his friends feel that the current way political and social discourse is going, there’s a lot of focus on uplifting marginalized voices, and at times, this can make them feel like their perspectives are being overlooked or dismissed,” one woman reported.
Many Gen Z women have observed this political shift among their male peers firsthand. They report that conservative media and social platforms have become increasingly influential in shaping young men’s political views. Some women note that their male counterparts express feeling alienated by aspects of modern feminism and perceive that straight white males are unfairly labeled as toxic in contemporary discourse.
Why Gen Z is Breaking Conservative
Several factors appear to be driving Gen Z’s conservative shift. Born between 1997 and 2012, these young Americans came of age during the Obama and Biden administrations. Their formative experiences include pandemic lockdowns, which resulted in school closures, social isolation, and significant learning losses. Many also witnessed firsthand the real-world effects of progressive policies related to crime, border security, and economic management.
The intense focus on climate change, social justice initiatives, and gender identity politics in their education has not produced the expected progressive alignment. Instead, it appears to have created skepticism toward these narratives. Media trust among young Americans has plummeted, with only 26% of 18-29-year-olds expressing confidence in mass media. This skepticism has created an opening for alternative conservative voices and platforms that reject progressive orthodoxy.
Political Implications for the Future
The rightward shift among Gen Z voters, particularly young men, represents a significant challenge to Democratic political strategy. For decades, Democrats have counted on capturing the youth vote by substantial margins. The assumption that demographic change would inevitably benefit progressives now appears fundamentally flawed. This political realignment suggests Republicans may be building a more diverse and younger coalition than previously thought possible.
“Democrats are getting destroyed now among young voters… They thought that this was a last gasp of something and that if Donald Trump couldn’t run up his numbers among seniors and you had Millennials and Gen Z really coming into voting power, that would be the end of this Republican Party. That is just completely false,” noted New York Times columnist Ezra Klein.
As Gen Z continues to enter the workforce and increase their political participation, their conservative leanings could substantially impact upcoming elections and policy priorities. Whether this represents a permanent realignment or a temporary response to current conditions remains to be seen, but the data suggests that America’s youngest voters are not following the political trajectory many experts had predicted.
