Hundreds of young voters gathered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor this week for a campaign rally featuring progressive U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Hasan Piker, a popular online streamer with millions of followers. The event drew a line that stretched out the door and down the street, with attendees waiting in cold evening air after classes.
The rally drew students as well as young voters from beyond the campus, many expressing frustration with both major political parties. The event offered a window into the political mood of a generation that has come of age during turbulent times, from Trump-era politics to ongoing national debates over Gaza, the economy and democratic institutions.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats point to recent electoral victories as evidence that anti-establishment politics can win. Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, who appeared with El-Sayed at the rally, argued that progressive candidates should run in every race. "There should be a progressive running everywhere that one exists," she said. "Every year, every race. We might not be victorious, but every single time we have to call the question."
Supporters of El-Sayed drew parallels to Zohran Mamdani's mayoral victory in New York City, which they said demonstrated that progressive candidates could win by mobilizing young voters with grassroots energy. Liam Koenig, a high school senior in Oakland County, said he waited for hours to attend the rally because he wanted that kind of energy in Michigan.
Some attendees cited frustration with the Democratic Party's direction. Karol Molina, an artist who recently moved from New York City, said she had been looking for a candidate in Mamdani's mold. "We want to be able to live and, like, afford life without constantly scraping by," she said. "I think the Democratic Party is losing because they're not really listening to what the people really want."
What the Right Is Saying
Conservatives have pointed to previous progressive electoral failures as evidence that enthusiasm does not translate to victory. Progressive candidates have generated significant crowds in past cycles without winning competitive races. El-Sayed himself finished a distant second in Michigan's Democratic primary for governor in 2018, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont fell short in two Democratic presidential campaigns.
Some Democrats expressed concern about El-Sayed's decision to campaign with Piker, whose past statements have drawn criticism. The 34-year-old streamer has said "Hamas is a thousand times better" than Israel, described some Orthodox Jews as "inbred" and claimed that "America deserved 9/11."
Longtime Democratic strategist Debbie Dingell, whose district includes Ann Arbor and who attended the rally without endorsing anyone, said she would be watching to see whether the energy translates to sustained political engagement. "Is it something for the kids to do, or is it going to connect?" she asked.
What the Numbers Show
Gallup polling shows that younger people are rejecting both parties at much higher rates than older generations. More than half of Generation Z and Millennials identify as political independents, while a majority of older generations align with a political party.
AP-NORC polling from February found that younger adults are more likely than older Americans to have an unfavorable view of both the Republican and Democratic parties.
The Gallup data also shows that these young independents tend to be motivated by unhappiness with the party in power — a dynamic that could benefit Democrats in this year's midterm elections but does not promise lasting loyalty to any party.
El-Sayed faces U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary.
The Bottom Line
The University of Michigan rally illustrates a paradox facing both parties as they seek to engage young voters: enthusiasm among younger Americans does not necessarily translate into support for establishment candidates or parties. The challenge for Democrats is whether they can channel this dissatisfaction into votes, while Republicans may seek to capitalize on anti-incumbent sentiment.
What remains unclear is whether the energy at events like the El-Sayed rally represents lasting political engagement or transient enthusiasm. With control of Congress at stake in November, both parties will be watching whether young voters who express frustration with the system show up at the polls. The answer could significantly affect electoral outcomes in competitive states like Michigan.