Democrats Accused of Being 'Out of Touch' as Youth Support Hits New Low: Poll

Brett Cooper: Democrats Are "Out of Touch" With Voters

The Democratic Party is facing a significant challenge as new polling reveals a sharp decline in support from young voters — a demographic that has historically leaned left.

Brett Cooper, host of "The Brett Cooper Show," discussed the issue during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," stating, "Democrats are completely out of touch with their voter base. They are aging out. We do not want them in Congress anymore on the left and the right." Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Cooper: Young Voters Feel Unrepresented by Aging Leaders

Her remarks coincided with the announcement that Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the 80-year-old second-ranking Senate Democrat, will not seek re-election in 2026. Durbin, first elected in 1996, has long been a fixture of the party establishment.

"You see members of Congress like Dick [Durbin] who are so old," Cooper added. "Young people feel unrepresented, and they are fed up." Thomas J. Turney/The State Journal-Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Poll: Democratic Approval Among Young Americans Drops to 23%

According to a new poll from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, only 23% of young Americans now approve of congressional Democrats — a steep drop from 42% in early 2017. MIKE STOLL / Unsplash

Republicans Hold Slight Edge With Young Voters; Trump Approval Steady

Meanwhile, congressional Republicans enjoy a slightly higher 29% approval rate among the same age group. President Donald Trump’s approval among 18-29-year-olds stands at 31%, showing little change since the beginning of his first term. The White House / Wikimedia

Cooper: Disillusionment Crosses Party Lines Among Youth

Cooper emphasized that dissatisfaction among young voters cuts across ideological lines. "If they don’t like Donald Trump, then they're angry that their representatives are not pushing back enough. If they are more common sense in the center, they're angry with how radical they've gotten. They just feel completely left alone," she said. Mikhail Nilov / Pexels

AOC Maintains Appeal, but Future Influence Remains Unclear

While younger progressive leaders like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) continue to attract enthusiastic support, Cooper questioned whether they could maintain momentum. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Cooper Questions Whether Democrats Can Reconnect With Gen Z

"I think that they are going to have to change course. We will see if that works," Cooper said. "We’ll see if AOC resonates with as many people as they’re hoping." Josh Morgan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cooper: Democrats Rely on Emotional Appeals to Reach Gen Z

Turning increasingly to emotional appeals, Democratic lawmakers have ramped up their use of social media to galvanize support among younger voters, according to Cooper. “It is obviously an emotional issue, and they know that in order to reach Gen Z, I mean, historically, in the past, it has been through emotion, which is why you’re seeing these selfie videos, these rallying cries,” she explained. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Cooper Calls for Genuine Listening, Not Performative Outreach

Cooper argued that performative tactics may no longer be enough, noting, "The tactics that they have been able to use in the past to reach my generation, through social media, using big, broad, emotionally charged language, that might not work." Edar / Pixabay

Cooper Urges Democrats to Prioritize Voter Feedback

Instead, Cooper advised a more responsive approach: "They need to listen to their voters for once and actually see how they're responding." Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia