The Democratic Party knows it has a problem: young men.
After drifting toward Donald Trump in 2024, young male voters have become one of the most talked-about — and most elusive — groups in U.S. politics. With the 2026 midterms fast approaching, Democrats are trying to figure out how to bring them back. The problem? No one seems to agree on how.
According to interviews with a dozen party strategists, campaign officials, and progressive influencers, Democrats are experimenting on multiple fronts — from TikTok content to beer-price memes — but there’s still no unified plan. The efforts are scattered, and the results uneven.
“You’re going up against a GOP ecosystem that’s a well-funded, well-oiled machine,” said Chris Mowrey, a 23-year-old Democratic influencer. “What Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro built took years, money, and infrastructure. Democrats just don’t have that.”
The recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk underscored just how influential his organization, Turning Point USA, had become with young voters. Since his death, Turning Point has reportedly received more than 120,000 new requests to start high school and college chapters. Trump’s share of the young male vote rose to 46% in 2024 — up seven points from 2020.
A Party Without a Clear Playbook
Democrats, meanwhile, are still in testing mode. They’re trying everything from Capitol tours with influencers to podcast appearances by party stars like Gavin Newsom, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg.
“There isn’t really anyone in charge without a sitting president,” said Sam Drzymala, a partner at At Dawn Campaigns, a Democratic digital media firm. “People are just trying stuff to see what sticks.”
Tim Hogan, a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee, defended the party’s approach, saying that connecting with young men is about showing up where they are and talking about issues that actually matter to them.
“We’re meeting young men where they spend their time,” Hogan said. “That work doesn’t happen overnight, but we’re investing the time, money, and energy to win them back.”
Playing Catch-Up Online
The DNC only launched its influencer outreach program in 2024, well behind the GOP. The goal was to partner with creators in sports, gaming, and fitness — not to hand them scripts, but to help them weave Democratic values naturally into their content.
Meanwhile, Republicans had already built an entire online network of creators, podcasts, and meme pages that reach millions of young men daily.
“The right-wing ecosystem is incredibly coordinated,” said Matt Rein, who runs influencer partnerships at the DNC. “They push nearly identical messages every day.”
Republicans, for their part, say their success comes from focusing on practical concerns — not identity politics.
“We’re connecting with young men through commonsense policies that improve people’s lives,” said GOP spokesperson Kiersten Pels.
Beer, Podcasts, and Streamers
One recent Democratic ad targeted men 18 to 44 in swing districts with a simple message: “This Labor Day, Republicans are making the price of beer soar.”
Then there’s the podcast circuit. Newsom, Shapiro (Josh, not Ben), Sanders, and Buttigieg have all popped up on shows that appeal to young men — sometimes even debating conservative hosts. The idea is to ditch the talking points and sound human again.
“Young men want someone they could have a beer with,” said strategist Joe Jacobson. “Democrats have good policies, but if your messenger is dull, it doesn’t matter.”
Jacobson’s group, the Progress Action Fund, takes a more visceral approach. Their viral videos — like one titled “Kidnapping Your Girlfriend” — use dark humor and cinematic storytelling to make political points. Each costs around $35,000 to produce.
The Search for Community
Some Democrats are betting on livestream culture. In September, Congressman Maxwell Frost gave Twitch star IShowSpeed a personal tour of the U.S. Capitol. The logic is simple: young men are watching streamers more than politicians.
“A lot of guys are looking for community,” Drzymala said. “Streamers create that. They’re trusted voices.”
Still, without coordination, these efforts risk overlapping or competing for the same audience and dollars. But some strategists argue that this messy experimentation might actually be a good thing.
“If our approach looks and feels like the same old Democratic messaging,” said strategist Jesse Ferguson, “it’s not going to work.” Photo by Tom Arthur from Orange, CA, United States, Wikimedia commons.