WASHINGTON — The Republican National Convention is underway, but is the GOP doing enough to attract young voters leading up to the November election? One young D.C. Republican says yes.
Travis Korson is the national committeeman of the DC Young Republicans. He said, so far, he believes the party has made an effective overture to young people during the RNC.
Korson pointed to some of the speeches made by members of the Republican Party Monday night at the RNC to support his case.
“I think the fact that they kicked off the convention with Charlie Kirk speaking, a young Republican in his early 20s, really spoke to the Trump campaign’s emphasis on how important the youth vote is,” he said.
Twenty-six-year-old Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, made it a point to bring up his youth during his Monday night speech.
"I have a chance to view the state of our country as someone who sees the angst of young people and the challenges facing new parents forming families," he said.
Korson said he felt the speeches by Sen. Tim Scott and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also showed the GOP cares about diversity.
“[They] were a nod to the fact the Millennial generation and Gen Z are the most diverse generation in American history,” he said.
Scott also spoke directly to young people during his speech.
"Joe Biden failed our nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities," Scott claimed. "Heaping blame on them as they fought to ensure our young folks had access to higher education."
Korson said the Republicans have been working around the clock to show young voters are not a monolithic voting block only loyal to Democrats. He said young Republicans across the country have been engaged in their work to turn out the vote for President Donald Trump in November.
“The Young Republicans National Federation, of which D.C. is a chapter, has been getting young Republicans out across the country, engaging in campaign activities,” Korson said. “We have a goal of ten million voter contacts this year -- we’ve already made six million. We’re well on our way towards that.”
Korson said he does not believe President Trump's record -- or his stances on fiscal, environmental, or social issues -- will necessarily push all young voters one way or the other.
“Every voter is motivated by different motivations,” Korson said. “Again, the young voters aren’t a monolithic block.”
He added he believes the president has done a good job of appealing to young Republicans throughout the RNC and the rest of his presidency.
“The optimistic view that he has for the country, I think, really appeals to young Republicans,” Korson said. “The fact that a lot of young Americans are proud of their country and the fact that he encourages them to be part of their country.”
