Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you know that Donald Trump won re-election over Vice President Kamala Harris and will return to the Oval Office for his second presidential term in January. But although Trump won the popular vote, many people were upset and confused by his victory.
To many, Trump’s win was unexpected, in large part because they believed the 41 million Gen Zers who were eligible to vote in the election would lead a “blue wave” that would elect Harris and other Democrats into office. Progressive voter turnout among younger generations was high during the 2022 midterm election, and some organizations like the Public Religion Research Institute have found that Gen Z adults trend less Republican than older generations.
But not only did Trump win the 2024 presidential election, but also, Republicans gained the majority in both the House and Senate, meaning both the executive and legislative branches of federal government will be led by the GOP come 2025. The “blue wave” that Democrats had hoped for was nowhere to be seen. But why did this happen — or, more precisely, why didn’t Gen Z vote as progressively as so many expected them to?
To get a better understanding of what went down among young voters, Her Campus conducted a survey of Gen Z voters immediately following the conclusion of the presidential election. Here’s what young Trump supporters said about how the president-elect earned their vote, and what they are expecting to see from him in his second term.
The Economy & Immigration Drove Gen Z Trump Supporters’ Votes
When asked why they voted for Trump, a majority of survey respondents listed the economy as their biggest reason. “Looking at the way the economy has changed from before the 2020 election, thinking about wars and gas prices, I voted for Trump,” 22-year-old Laura* from Illinois tells Her Campus.
Whether Trump’s economic policies will actually benefit the average American is yet to be determined, but his messaging was certainly effective; many Gen Z voters cited Trump’s focus on the day-to-day needs of average Americans as their reason for choosing him over Harris. “Most people don’t have the privilege to care about social issues when they can’t even put food on the table for their family,” says Alison*, a 21-year-old from Tennessee. Bethany*, a 22-year-old from Texas, expresses similar sentiments. “As a 21-year-old full time college student and with a full time job, I felt that I can’t get the same benefits from the economy that my parents had,” she says. “I can’t even afford groceries and housing. I want to be able to live my life freely without worrying if I’m gonna make it or not. So, I am OK with how the election came out, because I get that chance that I’ve been longing for.”
Most people don’t have the privilege to care about social issues when they can’t even put food on the table for their family.
Immigration was another issue at the top of young voters’ minds when they made their decision. Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign heavily focused on immigration, and now his plan to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants is set to begin upon his return to office. “He is going to control immigration in our country,” says 19-year-old Bailey* from Connecticut.
Some young voters acknowledge many of the left’s criticisms against Trump as valid, but ultimately prioritized his stances on these leading issues above others. “I do not like him as a person. I think he’s an assh*le, but I think he will be a good president,” 23-year-old Kansas resident *Leigh says. “I think he has a lot of good things to say. I think his plan to deport illegal immigrants is necessary and important. I think that he will do really good things for the economy.”
Personal & Religious Beliefs Were Also Key Factors
Trump’s presidential campaigns consistently positioned him as the candidate of choice for the majority of evangelical Christians. Meanwhile, Harris — who has a multifaith background encompassing Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism — did not make her faith a major part of her campaign. This seems to have impacted voters who prioritize religion. “I definitely did not want Kamala to win. Her policies are awful, and she is very anti-Christian,” says 19-year-old Dylan* from Tennessee.
It wasn’t just the candidates’ specific stances on faith that influenced religious voters, but also their stances on issues that intersect with certain belief systems — namely, abortion. Of course, not all Trump voters also support abortion bans, as evidenced by the seven out of 10 states that voted to protect or expand reproductive rights in their states. Many of those who support Trump and abortion access reconcile these seemingly conflicting priorities with the belief that Trump simply wants abortion legislation to be decided by individual states, and that he would not support a national abortion ban.
However, many voters on both sides of the aisle believe Trump’s desire to leave abortion up to the states is just one step toward making abortion less accessible, considering Trump appointed three of the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade and has taken credit for this rollback of reproductive rights. (In contrast to Harris, who repeatedly stated that she would fight for abortion rights in this country.) “I believe President Trump will successfully make the nation better and save millions of human lives through abortion laws,” says 18-year-old Elizabeth* from Virginia.
A similar story can be told about trans rights, with many Gen Z Trump supporters citing conservative rhetoric about bathroom bills and the banning of trans athletes from playing sports as reasons they voted for Trump.
Many Young Trump Voters Just Didn’t Connect With Harris
The Harris-Walz campaign got a ton of attention for its attempts to engage Gen Z voters by leveraging celebrity endorsements and being active on platforms like TikTok. The account KamalaHQ, as well as the Vice President herself, would participate in viral challenges and quote trending memes in an attempt to appeal to young voters. And while that may have worked for some, for others, it made Harris seem out of touch. “At first I was open about the election, but what really left me with a bad taste was the amount of celebrity endorsements for Kamala Harris,” Rae*, a 21-year-old Texan, says. “I say that because a majority of celebrities don’t have to worry about the same things that the rest of us do.”
Just like the way many young people voted for Harris simply because they didn’t want Trump in office, some voters did the same for Trump. “Both candidates are terrible in my opinion, but I can take four years of Trump. I don’t know that I could take eight years of Kamala,” says 19-year-old Ellie* from Texas, who is registered as an Independent.
At first I was open about the election, but what really left me with a bad taste was the amount of celebrity endorsements for Kamala Harris.
Others said they preferred Trump’s previous tenure in the White House to Harris’s current one (although they held different roles). “I don’t trust Kamala,” 23-year-old Emily* from Kansas says. “In her four years as VP she didn’t do anything worthwhile or to actually help people.”
Jen*, a 24-year-old from Louisiana adds, “We didn’t vote for her because she doesn’t even know her own policies. She doesn’t answer questions. Why would we vote for someone like that when we know for a fact (because we have seen it happen already) that the opposite candidate can run an entire country and do it with his eyes closed?”
Overall, the 2024 election showed America that one generation is not going to necessarily make or break whether one candidate wins over another. The sobering truth is that Gen Z has political opinions that are just as diverse as every generation before it, and candidates need to promote clear policies in order to earn their votes. This year, Trump and his fellow Republicans seemed to accomplish this goal.
*Names have been changed.