The Generation Z is politically old before its time

Men and women have long behaved differently in the political realm, with the former more inclined to vote for Republicans and the latter more likely to support Democrats. But significantly, these differences did not historically apply to 18-to-29-year-olds. For many years, both younger men and women have leaned decidedly left. No longer.

- David M. Drucker

The latest Harvard Youth Poll, the gold standard for studying younger voters, is the most recent poll to make clear there are now distinct political differences separating men and women ages 18-29. The men of Generation Z, rocked by economic and social crises and impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, have moved to the right, backing President Donald Trump over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 and continuing to favor Republicans. Women ages 18-29 reacted differently to the events that shaped their generation—politically, socially, philosophically—resulting in them holding markedly more liberal sensibilities.

The consequences of these divergent political paths are a bifurcated younger electorate afflicted with the same gender polarization that typically characterizes older voters. In other words, Gen Z has aged prematurely — politically, at least. “One of the biggest things we've seen with the gender split, is really how men and women have diverged ideologically,” said Jordan Schwartz, a Harvard sophomore and chair of Harvard Public Opinion Project, during a briefing to unveil the Harvard Institute of Politics’ 50th youth survey. Schwartz added that young men veering right, and young women simultaneously staying or moving further left, has produced a “huge gap” in Harvard's polling, explaining that this gender chasm has “opened up over the past few years” and “has not existed in many of our past polls.”