Not All Millennials Will be Demonstrating at the Republican Debate

As Joey Bunch pointed out in a long Denver Post report, the youngest cohort is about to become a larger bloc of voters than the huge Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964, 74 million) and they are substantially more liberal on a number of values and issues. They like some purpose in their jobs, are idealistic in their approach to foreign policy and very progressive on America’s main social issues, for example, gay rights and immigration.

Bunch used a Pew Research survey of September 2014, which highlighted the challenges for the Republican Party.

But Millennials (born after 1980) are also very independent in their partisanship, interested in solutions to the challenges they face, especially concerning the economy. They are looking for leaders that offer a chance of accomplishing something. They were taken by President Obama’s hope and change message of 2008, but like most voters, are disappointed, and not yet sold on Hillary Clinton.

My quote in the article referenced that an interesting and accomplished personality could attract the Millennial voter:

While young people tend not to vote, they turned out strong for both Obama elections. But there isn't that kind of candidate in this election, said Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli. Even Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton is old-school party establishment, he said.

With disappointment in Obama's economy, Republicans have an inroad, but they need to prove they can get something done, Ciruli said.

"My sense is that if Republicans can find a candidate with the right personality who speaks directly to (millennials) and seems like they can actually get something done with the other party, younger people would vote for that candidate," he said.

As the data shows, a third of the generation is conservative. But Millennials attending major universities are among the most liberal of the entire generation. Expect some noise at the CU debate on October 28.