WATCH: Gen Z is looking for passion and energy in a GOP candidate
Campus Reform correspondent analyzes what young Americans want in a presidential candidate.
In a recent panel discussion on ‘Fox and Friends,’ Gen Z voters shared their thoughts on the GOP field ahead of the 2024 election, with Campus Reform Correspondent Daniel Idfresne providing key insights.
The discussion began by highlighting a new Fox News poll showing former President Donald Trump with a 37-point lead over the rest of the GOP field, with Ron DeSantis on the decline and Vivek Ramaswamy on the rise. Idfresne was asked about his perspective on these results, particularly the shifts in support for DeSantis and Ramaswamy.
Idfresne stated, “It’s not surprising to me at all. You know, Vivek Ramaswamy, risked alienating voters like me by talking about raising the voting age. But overall, he’s everything [that] a young American wants in this country. His age is refreshing. That passion in his voice is infectious. And overall, his campaign is energetic.” He further criticized DeSantis for relying on his successes with COVID, saying, “I can speak for all Gen Z-ers like me when I say I do not want to remember sitting in front of my laptop all day long, isolated from my friends.”
Former Campus Reform employee Kate Hirzel also weighed in on the race, particularly on Ramaswamy’s rise and DeSantis’s decline. She noted, “Vivek is the youngest candidate in the race, he has a lot of momentum behind him. And he’s a very similar resume to what President Trump had in 2016, of being a business person, and never having been a candidate before.”
[RELATED: WATCH: Gen Z voters share top issues ahead of 2024]
The panel also touched on President Biden’s standing in the polls, despite recent gaffes and challenges such as Afghanistan, the border crisis, and inflation. Idfresne expressed skepticism about Biden’s performance, saying, “I don’t think Biden is doing well at all. One of the issues that people care about is vitality in our elections and our leaders. And quite simply put, Biden is not passionate, he’s old.”