Last updated on August 27th, 2024 at 04:34 pm
The country’s young have long skewed Democratic in their voting habits, and largely still do. But Republicans insist the dynamic is shifting.
Milwaukee, United States: Caden Schaefer-Rose, who will turn 18 just in time for November’s US election, can’t wait to cast his first presidential vote – for Donald Trump.
Schaefer-Rose is one of a growing number of teenagers defying the liberal image of America’s youngest voters to back the Trump movement.
“I feel like he reflects a lot of my personal values,” said Schaefer-Rose, speaking to AFP at the “Youth VoteFest” with mirrored sunglasses, near the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.
He first noticed Trump in 2016, seeing him on TV during the heated campaign. Other young attendees said their first memories of Trump were from his cameo in “Home Alone 2” or his role as the bold boss on “The Apprentice.”
A slightly different take came from Matthew Paley, 19, of New Jersey. He was out by the arena where the Republican convention was happening, playing cornhole, and he had just caught the ear of voters and started meeting Trump down in Florida. Now, he’s all in for Trump running again
Paley said he shares the same “core conservative values” that Trump represents, like being pro-guns. “And I love that he has such a strong backbone and fights for what he believes in.”
As Pew Research reported, in 2016 voters under 30 backed the Democratic Party by a 30-point margin. In 2020 that lead declined. The youngest voters are critical, as studies show that college student voting is on the rise and Republicans are making a major effort to court them.
Just 39-years-old, newly announced running mate J.D. Vance is a full two decades younger than Vice President Kamala Harris.
The party even let a social media influencer attract with 24 million followers on Instagram—Amber Rose—take a convention stage to endorse Trump on Monday.
There was even an appearance by rapper Forgiato Blow to court young Black voters.