Professor: Generation Z More Conservative Than Millennials
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Jeff Brauer, a professor at Keystone College who is studying the political habits of 'Generation Z,' people born after 1996, told Chris Stigall during an interview on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, that kids and younger adults today have a more favorable view of Donald Trump and may lean toward the Republican party because they speak more to issues that concern them.
"Anybody in Gen Z, they grew up, in their entire lives, at a time of perpetual war, at a time of budget cuts, at a time of the great recession, at a time of terrorism and terrorist threats. So, they have a much higher sensitivity towards security issues and to financial issues, fiscal issues. I think that's really where that attraction to Trump comes from is this idea that Trump, if you listen to Trump even, in his very unique way, a very folksy, down to earth way, which I think kids can relate to, for sure, especially middle school kids, they hear him talking about these issues that they grew up with."
He claims this generation is much more open to Republican ideas than the Millennial generation that precedes them.
"These young folks that are coming through, Gen Z's, the way they look at the world, in so many ways, I would call really more like a moderate Republican. They're definitely much more moderate to conservative when it comes to fiscal issues and to security issues. They're more liberal when it comes to some of the social issues, the civil rights type of issues because they're very diverse, it's a very diverse population. Their friends are diverse. That, kind of, fits the mold of a very traditional, moderate Republican."
Brauer thinks the GOP does have the chance to bring these young voters into the party and they mature and become more politically active.
"The Republican party, in general, really has an opportunity here to bring young folks into the fold, which they've had a very difficult time over the last couple of decades to do. They can do it early. Usually, Republicans attract folks as they get older but if Republicans play their cards right, Gen Z is primed to go into and embrace the Republican party."