Presidential candidates are finding new ways to reach politically disengaged Generation Z voters, and it’s not on CNN or Fox News. Gen Z has a historically low voter turnout, with around 31% of those eligible voting since 2016 compared to 49% of Gen Xers and 39% of Millennials when they were young adults. Because of this, both sides of the aisle see Gen Z as untapped voter potential.
With less than one day until polls close, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are following common campaign strategies of bouncing between swing states, calling upon their most loyal supporters, and hosting fundraisers. As mainstream media is losing engagement and becoming more frowned upon, the two have also tried a new trend: appearing on podcasts.
With 47% of Americans aged 13 to 24 having listened to a podcast in the last month, they are extremely influential on Gen Z. Podcasts grow their impact through viral clipping—creating a smaller video from a longer one—on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which 71% of Gen Z turns to for news every day.
“I see most political propaganda on the apps I use like TikTok and Instagram,” senior Max Weitzman said. “I think social media—mainly TikTok—is the best way to reach younger people. I don’t really see any kid my age going to CNN for their news, it’s all mainly on our apps.”
“I see political news on Instagram the most, and I think social media is the best way to reach a younger generation of voters,” senior Leni Fakava Ma said.
Jill Olmsted, an associate journalism professor at American University, noticed candidates using podcasts to appeal to Gen Z and increase their voter turnout. “Network evening newscasts’ audiences are down, so I think this is the year that podcasting is the main medium being used by presidential candidates,” she said.
Consistently choosing pop culture entertainment, Harris has expounded on policy, urged her supporters to get out to the polls, and attempted to convert undecided and dispassionate voters. In the past couple of months, Harris has appeared on “Call Her Daddy” and “The View.”
While some podcasts already focus on news and politics, others have deviated from their typical celebrity guests by inviting in politicians, resulting in more intimate conversations that attempt to humanize the candidates.
Harris’ appearance on social media personality Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” sparked a larger conversation about the role of entertainment in politics. On “Call Her Daddy,” the second most popular podcast on Spotify, viewers look to Cooper for funny, laid-back wisdom and advice through her in-depth discussions about the important issues many women encounter in their early adulthood.
Cooper provided her audience with a statement about her political detour. “As you guys know, I do not usually discuss politics or have politicians on the show because I want ‘Call Her Daddy’ to be a place that everyone feels comfortable tuning in,” she said.
“At the end of the day, I couldn’t see a world in which one of the main conversations in this election is women and I’m not a part of it,” Cooper added. The two devoted the majority of the 40-minute interview to discussing women’s issues, including abortion, sexual assault, and “cat ladies” in an obvious effort to mobilize young female voters across the country.
“Podcasts are a place where candidates can find undecided voters, particularly since most of these podcasts are apolitical and also a lot cheaper for the candidates—you don’t have to stump through three different states to try to get an audience,” Olmstead said.
Trump has appeared on several explicitly right-wing shows to connect with their predominantly young male audience, most notably Joe Rogan’s “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend,” and Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive.”
During Trump’s conversation with Von, he appeared more thoughtful and reflective than in his typical rally speech persona. Trump has also sat down with several right-wing influencers including Twitch star Adin Ross, political commentator Ben Shapiro, and Lex Fridman, a computer scientist who interviews notable individuals from a variety of fields.
Trump’s most recent appearance on Rogan’s podcast reflected a clear decision to stay in a conservative media bubble as Rogan often brings on guests who hold right-wing perspectives. Additionally, as Gen Z’s men and women are growing increasingly apart politically, it’s worth noting that 80% of Rogan’s listeners are male while 70% of Cooper’s are female.
Podcasters don’t have to adhere to the neutral journalistic principles that traditional news outlets follow. “They may ask about hard issues, but they’re not trying to get you. They actually just want to talk to their guests about things that they are interested in, which is a very different role than a journalist, who is supposed to be asking the tough questions,” Olmstead said.
This free-range media can also come with misinformation: Trump lied 32 times during his sit-down with Rogan and many of Harris’ claims needed “context” or were “exaggerated.” “Unless you go out of your way to do research, nobody is going to help educate you which can lead to misinformation,” senior Izzy Zohar said.
Although podcasts may influence what teenagers buy or how they talk, they might not be as successful when it comes to influencing their politics. “I think candidates going on podcasts can make a difference, but since we live in such a divided time, it’s really hard to change people’s mindsets with just a podcast,” Zohar said. “Whatever the candidates say on one podcast is probably not going to change someone’s vote entirely.”
“I feel like I have to do my own research to really get the idea of who I want to vote for. I’m really strong on that,” senior Akhilles Jimenez said.
“None of it has changed my opinion on the candidate, but it has changed my opinion on the influencer. When they share their views with me, I am more inclined to listen to support them,” senior EB Hoffman said.
Candidates also continue to create their own content on social networks in an attempt to appeal to Gen Z. “I would say when a candidate or their party has their own social media, that’s the best way to promote,” Hoffman said. “Yes, getting other influencers to endorse either side is smart, but in the end, I think accounts like ‘kamala hq’ are what helps the most in reaching younger generations because it’s more authentic.”
By bypassing traditional media through podcast appearances, Harris and Trump hope to harness the internet’s viral power to mobilize voters. This effort to change opinions and get undecided Gen Zers to the polls might just be written off as irrelevant and “cringe.”
