Harris’ campaign needs to appeal to young men
Barstool conservatism’s rise has created a crucial divide in the upcoming election.
Barstool conservatism’s rise has created a crucial divide in the upcoming election.
Since Donald Trump’s presidency, young men have increasingly shifted toward conservatism, with the share of male voters aged 18 to 29 identifying as Democratic dropping sharply from 51% in 2016 to 39% today. This phenomenon, known as “barstool conservatism,” presents a unique challenge for the Harris campaign as it prepares for the upcoming election.
The journey of young men towards this new form of conservatism has been marked by several key factors, chief among them a growing sense of cultural alienation. Many young men feel increasingly disconnected from mainstream liberal narratives. This alienation has driven them to seek out alternative spaces where they can express themselves freely, without fear of censure or backlash.
These online communities, particularly those centered around platforms like Barstool Sports — a popular sports and pop culture website — have become digital havens for these young men seeking to express themselves without the constraints of mainstream media.
However, these spaces are often breeding grounds for harmful and bigoted ideologies cloaked in a veneer of “rebellious” or “edgy” humor. What begins as a rejection of political correctness often devolves into open hostility under the guise of free speech. The rise of influences beaming right-wing, Andrew Tate-style content has played a pivotal role in indoctrinating these young men, turning legitimate grievances into a gateway for extremism.
These spaces have served as incubators for a new brand of conservatism, one that doesn’t fit neatly into traditional political categories. Barstool conservatives often hold views that span the ideological spectrum, embracing social liberalism on issues like drug legalization while simultaneously pushing back against what they see as excessive political correctness and women’s rights.
The presidency of Donald Trump was not just a catalyst for the rise of barstool conservatism but also a driving force behind the normalization of harmful and divisive rhetoric. Trump’s lack of political experience, combative style and disregard for democratic norms resonated with young men who felt sidelined by mainstream politics.
However, his language often crossed into outright hostility, while undermining the very foundations of civil discourse and democratic governance. This aggressive, often hateful rhetoric offered a blueprint for discontented young men to channel their frustrations in destructive ways, fostering a culture where intolerance and bigotry could thrive under the guise of “free speech.”
Barstool conservatism has rapidly embedded itself into the fabric of American culture, extending its reach far beyond niche online communities and permeating everyday conversations, workplaces, schools and social circles. Its prevalence is a testament to how deeply these divisive and often regressive ideas have taken root among young men.
While many see this group as resistant to change and dismissive of mainstream political messages, this election presents a crucial turning point — especially for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
To effectively engage this demographic, the Harris campaign must rethink its messaging and outreach strategies. A major concern for these young men is the state of the economy — one of the few areas where the Democratic party has demonstrated success through its policy achievements. Addressing economic issues that resonate with these votes and all Americans will be crucial to winning their support.
The rise of barstool conservatism among young men represents a significant shift in the political landscape that the Harris campaign cannot afford to ignore. By understanding the factors that have driven young men towards this new form of conservatism and adapting their approach accordingly, the campaign has the opportunity to build a broader, more diverse coalition.
Culturally, winning over barstool conservatives could be a pivotal moment in fostering a more progressive future. Engaging this demographic is not merely about shifting electoral outcomes; it’s about addressing the underlying issues that drive their alienation and redirecting their energy toward constructive dialogue and positive change. If the Harris campaign can tap into the frustrations and aspirations of these young men, it could realign the men’s perspectives towards a more inclusive and progressive vision of society and steer them away from the fringes of extremist conservatism.
By addressing younger generations’ grievances and offering viable, forward-thinking solutions, the Harris campaign could transform a traditionally conservative stronghold demographic into a progressive one. Such a shift would not only impact current electoral dynamics but could also lay the groundwork for a future where extremism is increasingly marginalized.
We are the only independent newspaper here at USC, run at every level by students. That means we aren’t tied down by any other interests but those of readers like you: the students, faculty, staff and South Central residents that together make up the USC community.
Independence is a double-edged sword: We have a unique lens into the University’s actions and policies, and can hold powerful figures accountable when others cannot. But that also means our budget is severely limited. We’re already spread thin as we compensate the writers, photographers, artists, designers and editors whose incredible work you see in our daily paper; as we work to revamp and expand our digital presence, we now have additional staff making podcasts, videos, webpages, our first ever magazine and social media content, who are at risk of being unable to receive the support they deserve.
We are therefore indebted to readers like you, who, by supporting us, help keep our paper daily (we are the only remaining college paper on the West Coast that prints every single weekday), independent, free and widely accessible.
Please consider supporting us. Even $1 goes a long way in supporting our work; if you are able, you can also support us with monthly, or even annual, donations. Thank you.
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Accept settingsDo Not AcceptWe may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: