Youth vote will be critical to 2024 election result
Gen Z influencer says JD Vance will help Trump steal youth vote from Biden
Gen Z activist and influencer Christian Hodges discusses the impact former President Trump's vice presidential pick could have on young voters and the 2024 election.
All eyes are on Gen Z.
Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called them the generation that will "eventually save America" during his speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention. The Wall Street Journal has called them the "toolbelt generation" for changing the trajectory of work and education in America. On Sunday, President Biden announced he was dropping out and in such unpredictable times, both parties will be actively seeking the votes of young people.
Some conservative Zoomers say Trump gained ground in the race to win over the youngest voting bloc by choosing Ohio Sen. JD Vance – the first millennial to be added to a presidential ticket – especially as age concerns ring loud and clear in the political realm.
"If we look at JD Vance specifically as VP, one of their [Gen Z's] biggest concerns is the age" of then-candidate Biden and Trump, podcast host and Gen Z influencer Christian Hodges told Fox News Digital. He added, "They see JD Vance as an insurance policy for Trump in case there is another assassination attempt, and it's successful, unfortunately."
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Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) arrives on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Hodges, author of the book "America, Don't Give Up: Your Right to Freedom of Speech," has previously addressed lingering age concerns young voters have for the candidates, especially then-candidate Biden following his debate performance last month.
The political activist and conservative commentator says Zoomers – or members of Gen Z – are looking for a new generation of leaders to take the reins, and he sees Vance as a step in the right direction.
"If we also look at JD Vance and his background, he supports everything that Gen Z, especially men, are going towards," he said to Fox News Digital.
Surveys have shown Trump has an historic opportunity to win the largest chunk of the 18-29 age demographic than any Republican in decades.
"If you look at the top careers that Gen Z men are pushing for, they're going into careers like blue-collar jobs. Blue-collar is trendy again, and they're also going into finance fields. A lot of Gen Z is entrepreneurial because that's also trendy again today, and they're also going into the tech field in Silicon Valley," Hodges said.
Gen Z is shifting education and the labor force toward blue-collar trades, according to recent data from National Student Clearinghouse, which found an increase of 16% in enrollment for vocational-focused community colleges compared to 2022, along with a 23% increase for students studying construction jobs and a 7% increase for students enrolled in HVAC/vehicle maintenance and repair programs.
Hodges said Gen Z finds it "trendy" to be politically active and an advocate for a cause.
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Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
"I think we're seeing, especially on the conservative side, that Gen Z men and women are becoming conservative, and they're seeing that as a trend. So, whether it's trendy or not, we're seeing that they actually are becoming conservative and care about those issues, which is a great positive that we're seeing today. And I think if JD Vance appeals to them specifically, it just adds to the trendy effect that we're seeing among Gen Z."
According to research organization CIRCLE, 41 million Zoomers (or members of Gen Z) will be eligible to vote in 2024, meaning eight million will have "aged into the electorate" by the time Trump and Biden go head-to-head this November. Their vote matters now more than ever.
Caroline Joyous, an 18-year-old conservative Christian influencer from Alabama, is one of those voters.
The host of the "Fire and Freedom" podcast told Fox News Digital last week that she was excited to see Trump pick Vance as his running mate.
"He's young, he's energetic, and he's got a fresh face, and he's just so fiery," she said. "Gen Z is tired of these politicians who are just sitting up in DC [and] doing nothing, and we take a look at JD Vance, and we're like, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s actually gone up there in a short amount of time, and he's fighting harder than pretty much everyone in D.C."
Like Hodges, Joyous said Gen Z voters are concerned about the economy and immigration and are desperate for change. Joyous, adding to that, said Gen Z is also desperate for "authenticity" from political candidates.
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"We've grown up in a world of perfect, invented social media. We are inundated with propaganda 24/7, and we just want something that's real, we want something that's authentic, and we want something that's secure," she said.
Mya Conrad, a Gen Z conservative student who attends Belmont University in Nashville, also had positive things to say about Trump's vice presidential pick.
"It's a very smart decision," she told "Fox & Friends" last week, noting the importance of securing a conservative White House for several terms. "People my age want the energetic ticket, not the sleepy falling upstairs ticket."
Fox News' Christopher Lopez contributed to this report.
Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
