LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why Kamala Harris lost young men
In the time following President-elect Donald J. Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, I have been inundated with editorials and punditry from The Daily Targum analyzing the reasons behind Harris's profound loss, particularly among young men.
Trump decisively won all seven swing states and secured the first Republican popular vote victory since former President George W. Bush in 2004. His win sent shockwaves through traditionally Democratic states, including New Jersey.
These takes, from accusations of sexism to the notion that young men are closeted authoritarians drawn to Trump's alleged "fascist" rhetoric, reflect the close-minded thinking among Left-wing analysts that contributed to the Harris campaign's failure to attract young men and men in general.
The simple fact is that Harris lost young men because she did not want them. Sure, Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), her choice for vice president, made overtures, including a much-derided post on social media platform X about "(running) a mean pick six," to young men like myself as a demographic.
But these attempts largely came across as insulting caricatures and throwaway statements in the face of the Harris campaign's overarching message: Young men ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Consider the messaging in the Harris ad narrated by George Clooney, where he states, "Before you cast your vote in this election, think about how it will impact the people you care about the most."
The message here is not about men's interests but rather underscores the Harris campaign's real approach: "Sure, Trump will help you, but is that really what's important?"
Trump made the rounds in several interviews with content creators young men admire. Meanwhile, Harris declined an offer from Joe Rogan and instead opted to appear on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, which draws a large female audience.
While Trump spent his time telling young men he was one of them, political action committees supporting the vice president released advertisements chastising men for being too "afraid of women" to support her.
Shockingly, trying to guilt people into voting for you while assuring them their vote is totally secret was not a winning strategy. If Democrats want to win young men like me, they should stop telling us to change and start trying to be representative of us. If not, I'm sure the Republicans are happy to continue to expand their majorities.
Askar Mirza is a sophomore at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and treasurer of the Rutgers Republicans student organization.
*Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
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