Tuesday was a no good, dirty rotten, devastating beating for Democrats. They not only lost control of the United States Senate by large margins, they lost even more seats in the House of Representatives.
But, those losses are not even the worst news for Democrats!
Democrats lost huge with millennials in key 2016 presidential swing states giving a big opportunity for Republicans leading up to the presidential election where their nominee will most likely face off against Hilary Clinton.
The top win of the night goes to Governor John Kasich (R) of Ohio. He secured his reelection by huge margins, winning all but two counties in this incredibly important swing state. In 2010 Kasich lost the youth vote by 10-points to his Democrat challenger and Tuesday, just four year later, he won the youth vote by 15 points. 15 points!
This is huge; a Republican governor was able to pull a 25-point turn around of the youth vote in just four years in a state President Obama won twice. Kasich has been able to demonstrate to millennials that Republican policies open more opportunity and personal freedom than the failed polices coming out of the Democrat party.
In Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) pulled off his THIRD win in four years proving he and his campaign machine are a force to be reckoned with in this other key swing state. Gov. Walker lost the youth vote in 2010 by 10-points and this year he only lost it by four points, he also pulled a tough youth vote turn around with a five point increase in young voter turnout from 2010.
Gov. Walker has survived formidable Democrat opponents, attacks from public unions, and a tough recall election and has still managed to swing the youth vote back his way by six points. He has shown the millennials in Wisconsin that his and Republican principles and policies ensure personal freedom, responsibility, and prosperity.
A few other important youth vote gains from exit polls show Republicans gaining the youth voter support in West Virginia where Senator-elect Shelly Moore Capito (R) won the youth vote by 25-points and Senator-elect Tom Cotton of Arkansas winning it by four points. Gregg Abbott (R), Texas governor-elect, tied the youth against Wendy Davis (D), a candidate who basically just ran on social issues, showing what our electorate could look like as the United States enters post-social issue election climate.
Furthermore, New Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), only lost the youth vote by one point even beating millennial favorite, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), by two points. This is staggering. Mitch McConnell is about as old school, stuffy, white man Republican as you can get and he did better with the youth vote than Senator Paul. This shows just how bad President Obama and his cohorts have let millennials down with their failed policies and empty promises. And that being old, white, and Republican doesn’t stop a candidate from appealing to millennials.
Republicans pulled a huge swing in the national House races as well. In 2010 Republicans lost the youth vote with a national average loss of 13-points. This year they managed to close that gap, losing to Democrats by 11-points with the same 13 percent young voter turnout.
These results in no way point to Republicans sealing the deal with millennials and being able to compete with a candidate like Hillary Clinton in two years. It does, although, give Republicans an opportunity the next two years to lead effectively and show millennials they are the party of freedom, prosperity, and effective government.
Republicans can show millennials they care by making pro-millennial bills part of their agenda. That means working to reduce and control the cost of education, dealing with the $1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt, fixing the millennial economy where youth unemployment is still at 16 percent, and, of course, staying out of social issues leaving them for the states to tackle.
The youth vote results in these key swing 2016 states should be scaring any Democrat planning to run and empower Republicans in their efforts to become a more inclusive party. This midterm election shows staggeringly important trends that put Walker, Kasich, and Paul in perfect positions in stealing a portion of the coveted youth vote from Democrats.
2016 is coming and millennials are listening and watching closely.
For media request contact Sal.LaMastra@gmail.com. Follow: @SalvatorV
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