Opinion: Why young men are flocking to Trump over Harris

Women in America have made significant gains toward gender parity, more so than women in many other countries. But when it comes to this presidential election, there’s a large gender gap.
A new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll shows former President Donald Trump leading among men 53% to 37%. Vice President Kamala Harris’ lead with women is 53% to 36%.
The gender gap in this election matters beyond politics and portends significant problems for the nation.
Commentators like to observe that, unlike former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Harris hasn’t leaned into the fact that if she wins, she will make history as the first woman and the first Black Asian American to serve as president.
However, Harris’ campaign has emphasized issues like abortion that appeal primarily to women voters. It’s one reason why she is doing especially well with young women. In three New York Times/Siena College polls conducted this year, Harris led among young women by 39 percentage points (67% to 28%). Trump was up 21 points with young men (58% to 37%).
Harris continues to specifically target women while trying to shore up her weaknesses with men.
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In contrast, Trump, who brought out men to vote in droves in 2016, has a strong lead among male voters overall and is doing remarkably well with Gen Z men.
“Between Harris’ push on abortion and Trump’s growth with male voters − especially young men − pollsters on both sides of the aisle are predicting that 2024 will represent the largest chasm in vote preferences between the two sexes in modern political history,” Politico reported Sunday.
From appearing on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast to “The View,” a show that features all female hosts, Harris seems to communicate that her campaign of joy is for women only. What a message for men.
On the other side, Trump is doing much the same thing with men, minus the joy.
What is Trump’s appeal to young men? He represents potential: He’s wealthy, famous and has a loyal family.
The reality is a mixed bag, of course, but the image of Trump as a successful billionaire remains, despite all that he has been through in recent years. Trump is the man who shook his fist and yelled “Fight!” with blood dripping down his face after an assassination attempt. He’s also the guy who donned a McDonald’s apron and served up fries last weekend. Somehow, he’s a billionaire who inspires blue-collar men, a misogynist who values family, a conservative who wants to impose tariffs on imports.
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The contrasts are jarring, but I think that is why men are drawn to him: Inside every man (and woman) is a sinner and a saint. If Trump can reconcile his strengths and weaknesses, why can’t other men?
William Barclay, a Scottish theologian, wrote, “Every man is a walking civil war. Within him there is the tension, the division, the battle between right and wrong, between good and evil, between passion and reason, between the instincts and the will.” 
Trump seems to tap into that battle, and it appeals to young men.
Trump also is sending the message to young men that, contrary to the Harris campaign’s directive, they are still desired and valued. This, too, is an extraordinary memo to a generation of men who has been told by extremist feminists and others that they are unnecessary at best and predators at worst.
In March, my colleague Sara Pequeño wrote, “Young people in the United States aren’t happy. At least, that’s the takeaway from this year’s World Happiness Report.”
The report showed that when the happiness of America’s young people, folks under 30, was evaluated, the United States fell to 62 in the happiness rankings. The annual analysis by Gallup, the United Nations and more ranked the United States at No. 23, knocking the country out of the top 20 for the first time ever.
Young people give all kinds of reasons for their unhappiness: negativity in the news, economic pressures and the high cost of living. But there’s something deeper than money and current events driving discontent. It not only ties into this election, but it also matters beyond politics and highlights an emerging demographic problem in the United States.
Young women report being unhappy more often than young men. Only 44% of women are satisfied with how society treats them. Young women are also the most liberal age group in our nation. I think there’s a correlation. The message of the Democratic Party aligns closely with third- and fourth-wave extreme feminism: You can have it all and you can have it all at the same time. Men are not necessary.
In addition to the political chasm between young men and women, these two groups are also often not engaging in romantic relationships. The U.S. marriage rate is declining, and so is the birth rate.
Extremists told men they are unnecessary, and many women believed them. Modern advancements reveal modern enigmas: Why date a man when you can make money and a baby by yourself?
I have empathy with young women who are more educated and earn more money than young men. It’s hard to desire a man who has weaponized incompetence.
As a collective, young men are dropping out of the workforce, earn less than women and won’t ask a woman out. That isn’t attractive. But it is also not surprising when young men have been told they no longer matter.
This election highlights the large chasm between men and women, one that may continue to grow. As a society, we can’t afford to have young men and women struggling with vast value differences, unable to align on politics, family and other things that matter.
This election also demonstrates that extreme feminism and liberalism don’t produce joy. Valuing each other despite our differences does.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.