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Gen Z Didn’t Swing Right—Just the COVID Kids Did

Gen Z Didn’t Swing Right—Just the COVID Kids Did

Just dropped: new election data shows Gen Z didn’t collectively shift right—it was just the youngest slice, aged 18 to 21. The rest of Gen Z (22 and up)? Swung 6 points left.

So what’s up with the COVID Class?

This group was in high school during lockdowns—right in the middle of social development, identity building, and political awakening. Instead of prom, they got Zoom. Instead of classroom debates, they got algorithmic echo chambers. The pandemic didn’t just isolate them physically—it may have rewired how they engage with the world.

And now? They’re swinging 12 points to the right, out of sync with their slightly older Gen Z peers.

This isn’t just an anomaly—it’s a red flag for political scientists, educators, and anyone paying attention.

The question isn’t just "how did they vote?" but "how were they shaped?"

Time to stop treating Gen Z like a monolith and start studying what happens when a generation comes of age in isolation.