The Blubber

A new political trend is emerging in the U.S.: voters aged 18 to 24 are identifying as more conservative than those just a few years older, according to the latest Harvard Youth Poll.

Why it matters: This shift, which has become evident in recent years, is seen in both men and women but is especially pronounced among young men.

More young men in this age group are identifying as conservative than liberal, a significant reversal from previous trends.
Zoom in: It’s uncommon for such a young group of Americans to lean more conservative than the age group directly preceding them.

Among men aged 18-24, 26% identify as conservative, five points higher than men aged 25-29.
For women, the younger age group is also slightly more conservative, by three points.
Moderates still make up the largest share of young voters, both male and female.
Between the lines: John Della Volpe, director of polling at Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, told Axios that this group was hit hardest by the pandemic and felt overlooked by the establishment.

Many in this group were just 10 years old when Trump was elected and view this turbulent political period as the norm.
"They see Trump as more of an anti-hero than a villain... It’s less about policy and more about personality," Della Volpe explained.
Reality check: Despite this conservative trend, younger voters still share liberal views on some key issues, according to Anil Cacodcar, student chair of the Harvard Youth Poll.

In a poll earlier this year, younger voters were just as likely as those aged 25-29 to believe that basic health insurance is a human right and that the government should increase spending to reduce poverty.