With the 2024 election approaching, a significant number of Gen Z voters are expressing disillusionment with the current political climate, citing rigid bipartisan lines and a lack of common ground on key issues such as the Israel-Hamas conflict.
As the 2024 election looms on the horizon, an unprecedented wave of Gen Z voters is gearing up to cast their ballots. With eight million new voters since the last election, this generation has the potential to significantly shape the political landscape. However, there are concerns that a substantial number of these young voters may refrain from participating due to disillusionment with the political process.
One issue that could keep a significant number of Gen Z voters at home this November is the Israel-Hamas war. Many young voters are expressing anger and frustration with the candidates' handling of the conflict. Claudia Conway, daughter of former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, voiced her concerns on the latest episode of Fox Nation's "Here's the Deal with Kellyanne."
Gen Z's Political Disillusionment: The Israel-Hamas Conflict and the Binary Divide
"A lot of people don't like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and Joe Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war," Claudia said.
Protests organized by Gen Z-aged anti-Israel activists have taken place in various cities, with many protesters expressing dissatisfaction with the Biden-Harris administration's response to the conflict. Meanwhile, progressive youth who hold strong anti-Trump sentiments often find themselves at odds with the former president's supporters.
Gen Z's Political Disillusionment: The Israel-Hamas Conflict and the Binary Divide
To delve into the layers of Gen Z's political discontent, Kellyanne Conway invited her daughter Claudia for a candid conversation on her show. Claudia shared her own disillusionment with the political offerings of both Trump and Harris.
"I think that we have a very binary view of politics just as a whole in our society," Claudia said. "That's why I'm a registered Independent, because I'm told if you don't fit X, Y and Z, you can't be a Republican. If you don't fit X, Y and Z, you can't be a Democrat. And I don't believe in that. I don't think things are black and white, and these choices should not be binary."
Gen Z's Political Disillusionment: The Israel-Hamas Conflict and the Binary Divide
Claudia emphasized that she is not alone in her sentiments among Gen Z voters. The high number of protests on college campuses across the nation is indicative of this generation's dissatisfaction with the political establishment.
However, Claudia's political views differ markedly from her mother's, who served in the Trump administration and remains a vocal critic of Harris. Despite their contrasting political ideologies, both women agree on the importance of putting human connection above political differences.
Gen Z's Political Disillusionment: The Israel-Hamas Conflict and the Binary Divide
"I can look at you and love you even though you have a different political opinion than I do, and we can be humans at the end of the day," Claudia stated. "The divisiveness and lack of unity in our political atmosphere right now is what is going to drive us further apart."
Claudia expressed concern that the growing political divide could have devastating consequences for the nation.
Gen Z's Political Disillusionment: The Israel-Hamas Conflict and the Binary Divide
"We always talk about the fall of our democracy, the fall of our nation… that is the fall of our nation," Claudia warned. "By furthering the gap between Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, we are creating that divide ourselves."
The episode also introduced Alabama teen Brilyn Hollyhand, who has chosen to align himself with the Republican Party and is advising the RNC on how to engage Gen Z voters.
"I don't think we have to fit neatly [into either party] as Gen Z, but I think that it's time to go off the sidelines. Time to get involved," Hollyhand said.
The episode of "Here's the Deal with Kellyanne" highlights the complex political landscape facing Gen Z voters as they navigate a politically charged environment and grapple with the binary divide that often dominates political discourse.
