A relatively new Democratic PAC has launched a $5 million campaign targeting Gen Z voters across several states with competitive presidential and U.S. Senate contests.
Forward Blue PAC, founded last spring by a former outreach director for Sen. John Fetterman’s 2022 campaign in Pennsylvania, is hoping to reach voters ages 18 to 24 in Maryland, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The investment focuses on spaces outside traditional cable media, including social media apps like Snapchat and dating apps like Bumble, with ads touching on reproductive freedom and bringing down the cost of living.
Three of those states — Maryland, Montana and Ohio — only have competitive U.S. Senate races, while Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are toss-ups in the presidential election. Maryland, one of the bluest states, has a competitive race for an open seat in the upper chamber, while endangered incumbent Democrats in Montana and Ohio are defending seats in those red states.
Forward Blue PAC’s investment is the latest example of youth-focused groups ramping up their spending and mobilization in the 2024 election since President Joe Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. Voters of Tomorrow, the largest Gen Z-run outreach group, also announced a major engagement milestone earlier this month.
A new poll from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics demonstrated just how dramatically Harris’ candidacy has shifted the race in Democrats’ favor among voters who may be casting ballots for the first time. The survey released last Tuesday showed Harris with a 31-point lead over Trump with likely voters 18 to 29, compared with Biden’s 13-point lead over the former president in March.
Gen Z represents a massive new voting bloc, with 41 million members of the generation of people in their teens to late 20s eligible to vote in 2024.
“Harris has definitely energized the younger folks much more than where we were at in this race a few months ago,” Forward Blue Executive Director David Austin said.
Austin said investing in states without close presidential races is just as critical for Democrats. “Even though U.S. senators might not be 100% ideally in line with these young folks, what we’re able to explain to them and show them is how we have to do really everything in our power to deliver a working majority in Congress if we want Kamala Harris to be able to pass these key policies,” he explained.
The Forward Blue spots that launched last Tuesday focus on reproductive freedom with a mention of Project 2025, the controversial Heritage Foundation blueprint for a second Trump term. Another ad that launched last week claims Harris’ economic plan would lower the cost of rent and everyday expenses. Harris has pledged to invest in tax incentives for builders and enforce price gouging against major corporations, but Republicans claim her policies would spur more inflation.
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Forward Blue PAC’s $5 million investment comes on top of $1 million in ads it already ran encouraging voter registration.
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In conclusion, the efforts of Forward Blue PAC in targeting Gen Z voters in key states with competitive races show a growing recognition of the importance of engaging and mobilizing young voters in the political process. With the rise of Gen Z as a significant voting bloc, these initiatives aim to harness the power of youth voices and influence future elections. By investing in social media and digital platforms, these groups are adapting to reach voters where they are most active and connected. As the 2024 election approaches, the focus on engaging young voters and shaping the political landscape continues to evolve, highlighting the impact of generational shifts on the democratic process.
