Kamala’s Generation Gap

Democrats generally pin their hopes on a surge of young voters in order to blunt the G.O.P.’s historic advantage among the olds. But something different is happening this election cycle: While young men and Gen X are moving to the right, Harris is banking on boomers—and older women, in particular—to close the gap.

Just as certain young men are moving toward Trump, older voters, especially women, have started to trend more Democratic. Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Peter Hamby

September 24, 2024

A few weeks back, I was on Real Time With Bill Maher yapping about my favorite topic of the election cycle—Gen Z voters, and the current drift of young men away from the Democratic Party and toward Donald Trump. I was saying the trend should be alarming for Democrats, given how close the election is certain to be, when Maher cut me off to make another point. “They’re not going to vote,” he said. “I agree they like him better, but they’re the ones who are gonna stay home.”