Young men are swinging away hard from Republicans, pessimistic about economy, new poll finds

A new Cygnal poll reveals that young men's support for Republicans has declined significantly in the 2024 election cycle, potentially impacting the party's prospects in November. Despite President Trump narrowly winning the support of young men in 2024, a broadening Democratic lead is now 57% to 40% among this demographic. President Trump's approval ratings among young men are negative, with a 38% approval rating and 55% unfavorable, while the Republican Party's net favorability stands at -9 points among this group.

Among all registered voters, Democrats hold a smaller 44% to 41% generic ballot lead. Alex Tarascio, a Cygnal pollster, observed that young men are particularly concerned about cost-of-living issues like inflation and housing costs. When asked about policies that matter most, their top priorities were lowering the cost of goods, housing costs, and cutting taxes.

Many young men feel pessimistic about their prospects and the fairness of the political system, with 43% believing rules favor against them. This pessimism extends to other institutions, with both parties having negative net favorability among young men, and former Vice President Joe Biden having the lowest favorability rating at 37%.

Young men's enthusiasm appears to be waning, raising concerns for Republicans as they seek to maintain control of Congress in the upcoming election.