Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Charlie Kirk emphatically argued that Gen Z – those in the 13- to 28-year range – is becoming politically conservative. "It's epic. It's real. And it's sustained," he said.
"Some people thought, 'Oh, it was just President Trump's election and then young people are gonna move back towards the left or back to the center.' That is not correct," Kirk continued as he talked with host Harris Faulkner. "The Harvard Youth Poll shows that Gen Z is moving further to the right." (Read related article)
Kirk referenced an interview of David Shor by liberal commentator and journalist Ezra Klein that affirms that poll.
"David Shor is one of the data experts on the Left," Kirk explained. "He says this is the most shocking development of the last couple of years. [Shor was speaking of] the sudden rightward shift that we have seen with younger voters."
Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, then offered reasons for this rightward shift in the younger generation. "Rebellion from the lockdowns during COVID, It is the political correctness. The next generation … want[s] to be able to own homes, they want to get married, they want to have kids.
"The most important part is that we as conservatives are dominating in new media," Kirk argued. "We're dominating in podcasting, we're dominating on TikTok, we're dominating on social media, because we are a movement that believes in freedom of speech and that is able to have different ideas but build coalitional-type politics."
Kirk then warned the GOP not to waste this opportunity with younger voters.
"[This is] my message to any Republican senator or people on Capitol Hill: you guys have to understand there is a gift that has been given to you that the next generation is finally Republican and conservative. We've been dreaming of this for 20 or 30 years. Let's not mess it up. Let's fulfill that mandate, and let's make the future more conservative than ever."
