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By Andrew Stanton
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Gen Z voters powered President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. But, two years later, Republicans are losing ground among the youngest voting group amid economic anxiety, according to several recent polls published ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump made major inroads with Gen Z voters in the 2024 election, losing them by only 11 points, a historically strong showing for a Republican candidate in modern elections.
- Polls from The New York Times, YouGov and Fox News show that Democrats are winning Gen Z voters by a much larger margin in the 2026 midterms, with the Times poll giving Democrats a 35-point lead among Gen Z voters.
- The economy is a major issue for voters across the age divide this year amid ongoing inflation and rising gas prices. Gen Z is especially concerned about the state of the economy, polling has found.
- Support from Gen Z voters could be critical in the battle for control of the House of Representatives and Senate, as polls are driving Democrats’ confidence that they will not only flip the House but also stand a chance in the Senate, despite a difficult map with limited obvious pickup opportunities.
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Why It Matters
Trump’s inroads with Gen Z voters were among the most surprising developments of the 2024 election. Young voters historically vote for Democrats by wide margins, but Trump lost them by only 11 points to former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, 54 percent to 43 percent, while winning young men by a single point, according to CNN exit polling data.
That’s a historically strong showing for a Republican in modern politics.
...
However, the latest polls have found Gen Z voters shifting leftward for the midterms, another warning sign for Republicans in the battle for control of both the House of Representatives and Senate on November 3. Gen Z also held gloomy views toward the economy, a major driver of voter behavior in those surveys.
The president’s party historically loses congressional seats when he is unpopular, and Trump’s national polling numbers have fallen across all voter groups since his 2024 campaign, when he emphasized affordability as a cornerstone of his election bid. Americans continue to face high prices, and economic concerns including tariffs, the high cost of living, as well as surging gas prices amid the unpopular war with Iran have contributed to the decline in Trump’s popularity.
Democrats Winning Over Gen Z Voters
Gen Z voters are backing Democrats by large margins ahead of the midterms, the latest polls of the general election ballot show.
In a poll from The New York Times, Democrats were winning over those between the ages of 18 and 29 by 35 points, 64 percent to 29 percent, with 7 percent saying they are not sure who they would vote for.
That represents Democrats’ strongest voting bloc by generation. They won those 30 to 44 by 21 points, 57 percent to 36 percent. Republicans won those 45 to 64 by 2 points, 49 percent to 47 percent, while Democrats won those 65 or older by 3 points, 49 percent to 46 percent.
Overall, Democrats led the generic ballot by 8 points, 51 percent to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,503 voters from September 8 to 13, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Democrats were also winning Gen Z in a new Fox News poll. Among those under 30, Democrats had a 29-point lead, 63 percent to 34 percent. It surveyed 1,211 registered voters from September 11 to 14, 2026.
Similar numbers were reported by YouGov, which gave Democrats a 21-point lead on the generic ballot, 51 percent to 30 percent, with 12 percent undecided and 6 percent saying they would not vote in the midterms. It surveyed 1,461 registered voters from September 11 to 14, 2026, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
Gen Z Prioritizes Economic Issues, Experts Say
Gen Z is “incredibly driven by ‘pocketbook’ issues,” Gabriel Rubin, professor of sociology, criminology and justice studies at Montclair State University who studies Gen Z, told Newsweek.
“Most don't make a lot of money and are upset that the American dream of owning a house and having a nuclear family looks completely out of reach,” he said. “Some gave Trump a chance last election because they felt the pinch of rising inflation. Obviously that inflation has not abated. Additionally, issues like the Iran War, ICE and Gaza have turned Gen Z away from Trump—and reluctantly toward the Democratic party.”
Still, Rubin added, many young Americans are “unexcited” by the Democratic Party.
“They yearn for a young, charismatic candidate who speaks their language and they will come out to vote for a candidate like that. They also do not like the two-party system. Many see the Democratic party as owned by corporate interests and AIPAC, and not a party that listens to them or cares about their generation,” he said.
Mark Beal, professor of communication at Rutgers University, who is an expert in Gen Z, told Newsweek that Gen Z is dealing with issues that “less about traditional party politics and more about thriving and surviving in society today and in the near future.”
“Gen Z has graduated to adulthood. The oldest members of Gen Z turn 30 in 2027. Increasingly important to Gen Z are major life milestones that may have just been an aspiration in 2024 including home buying, starting a family, having children, healthcare insurance and access, quality wellness and mental health, nursery and elementary school education, consistent employment, salary and benefits, and reducing debt,” he said.
Nina Raneses, a Democratic National Committee spokesperson, told Newsweek that young people "deserve leaders who are fighting for them."
"Trump has failed to deliver on his promises to young people, instead raising prices, worsening corruption, and deepening American involvement in foreign conflicts. This November, the contrast couldn’t be more clear: while Trump and Republicans have betrayed young Americans, Democrats are lowering costs and creating a brighter vision for their futures," Raneses said.
Natalie Baldassarre, national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, told Newsweek that Republicans are "making it easier to buy a home and more affordable to start a family."
"Meanwhile, Democrats are pitching a fantasy—that everything can be free—and it's the same empty promise as a kid running for student body president on 'more recess for everyone.' Families deserve real answers, not fluffy campaign slogans," she said.
Donald Trump Approval Rating Among Gen Z
Negative views toward Trump could be a major factor shaping Gen Z’s voting behavior in the midterms.
In the poll from the Times, only 18 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 said they approve of Trump’s job performance.
The Fox News poll found that only 29 percent of those younger than 30 approved of him. That number was 31 percent in the YouGov poll.
That’s lower than the general population in each of those polls. His overall approval rating stood at 38 percent in the poll from the Times, 39 percent in the Fox News poll and 40 percent in the YouGov poll.
Gen Z Economy Views
Young Americans are not optimistic about the state of the economy, the polls have found.
In the poll from the Times, only 9 percent rated the economy as being either good or excellent, lower than any age group. The Fox News poll found that 68 percent of those younger than 30 believe Trump’s policies have made the economy worse, compared to 42 percent who are older than 45 and 62 percent 65 or older.
The YouGov poll, however, told a different story. It found that 32 percent of those 18 to 29 described the economy as being excellent or good, a stronger number than other age groups.
How the Youth Vote Has Shifted Over the Years
Trump receiving 43 percent of the vote among those ages 18 to 29 marked a high point for him compared to 2020 and 2016, when he received 36 percent of the vote in each election.
Republicans also struggled with the youth vote in 2008 and 2012, when former President Barack Obama won the group by large margins. The last time they backed Democrats by a single-digit margin was 2004, when John Kerry won them by only 9 points, according to exit polling data from The New York Times.
Rubin said a gender division partly explained Trump’s strong performance in 2024, with young men being “far more” likely to vote for him compared to young women.
“In fact, Gen Z had the widest gender divide of any American generation in 2024,” he said. “‘Manosphere’ marketing played a role. Economic issues further pushed Gen Z young people toward Trump as they were not pleased with how the Biden Administration dismissed their concerns about affordability.”
Trump’s media strategy in 2024 helped him reach younger voters as well, according to Beal.
“Trump's podcast strategy created meaningful connections with Gen Z voters in 2024 in a way that traditional media including television and radio could not as Gen Z is not as tuned in to those previously focused media channels as older generations are,” he said.
What Happens Next
Polls will continue to be closely watched over the coming weeks ahead of the midterms as a key gauge to how all voters are responding to ongoing political developments. Candidates are making their cases to voters and facing off in debates as November 3 inches closer.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon, James Debens, Gray R. Thomas.
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