Democrats crack GOP gains with young men, new poll finds

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 and 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. Five 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 over half of men between the ages of 18 and 29 supporting President Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in that year’s presidential race.

Former President Joe 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.

Over 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.

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.

The Cygnal poll was conducted among 800 registered male voters between the ages of 18 and 30 from Sept. 15-18 with a margin of error of approximately 3.46 percentage points.