Republicans and Democrats alike are intensifying efforts to attract young men as the midterms approach, after President Donald Trump made gains with younger voters last year and Democrats warned they could lose an increasingly disaffected cohort for a generation.
Republicans are trying to cement Trump's advantage by arguing Democrats are out of touch with young men's concerns and by promoting the promise of improved economic prospects under Trump's agenda, NBC News reported on Saturday.
Democrats, meanwhile, are rolling out new messaging and policy initiatives aimed at men and boys, while pointing to signs that Trump's standing with young men is softening as many say they still feel economic and social malaise.
"I never want to hear again that the Democratic Party has a problem with young men," Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin told reporters after the November elections, arguing the party improved with young men in several high-profile contests.
Operatives in both parties say the battle is far from settled.
A senior Republican strategist, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said Democrats are reading too much into signs of slippage in Trump's numbers.
"That's just shortsighted," the strategist said. "The Republican ecosystem is just a little bit stronger in this space."
Republicans argue young men's frustrations over affordability, the job market, and social disconnection remain fertile ground for the party's message.
The strategist predicted attitudes will improve as the administration's policies take effect.
"There are a lot of folks who feel that they are not where they should be, they're falling behind," the strategist said, pointing to uncertainty about jobs, housing, and relationships. "A lot of folks look to Trump for solutions."
Democrats say those worries have created an opening. The Yale Youth Poll released this month found 34% of voters ages 18 to 22 approved of Trump, along with 32% of those ages 23 to 29.
Economic conditions remain central to the competition.
Youth unemployment for ages 16 to 24 was 10.8% in July, higher than a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Among residents ages 20 to 24, unemployment was 8.3% in November, down from 9.2% in September but still the highest since 2021.
The push for young men is also playing out in the media spaces they frequent.
Some Democrats have urged the party to engage more directly with the "manosphere," a network of podcasts and streaming shows that helped amplify pro-Trump messages last year.
Others argue Democrats do not need to build a parallel ecosystem so much as show up consistently and speak plainly.
Virginia State Del. Josh Thomas, a Democrat, said trying to manufacture a "left-wing Joe Rogan" could miss the point.
"I'm laughing because it ain't that hard if you're being yourself," he said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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