NPR

Political 'Counterculture': Young Republicans Hold Unique Space In The Trump Era

The GOP shed many young voters when Donald Trump was elected. Those remaining stand apart from most of their peers, while also breaking with older Republicans to chart a future for the party.
Donald Trump greets a crowd, including many younger supporters, after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown on election night 2016. Many younger voters have left the GOP since Trump took office.

Robert Lee, Chelsea Magee and Colt Chambers are political activists who all sound pretty typical for their generation when it comes to issues like immigration and same-sex marriage.

Lee, a self-described atheist, insists he doesn't "want to spend one dollar building a wall with Mexico." Magee, a 33-year-old in suburban Atlanta, says if you want to marry someone of the same sex then it's "between you, your spouse and God." And Chambers insists a "true Republican" shouldn't care about same-sex marriage because "the government shouldn't be so involved in everyone's every day lives."

But they are all activists. Lee is the former president of the Georgia Young

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min read
Can You Survive Summer Indoors Without AC? In Arizona, Many Don’t
Nearly half of the people who suffered heat-related deaths in Arizona last year lived outdoors without shelter, but public health officials and lawmakers are starting to pay more attention to the risk of dying indoors.
NPR4 min read
'Hacks' Season 3 Is Proof That Compelling Storylines And Character Growth Take Time
Ava (Hannah Einbinder) and Deborah (Jean Smart) have both grown a lot since we first met them in Season 1. It's a reminder that shows need breathing room to achieve satisfying development.
NPR4 min read
'Dance Your Ph.D.' Winner On Science, Art, And Embracing His Identity
Weliton Menário Costa's award-winning music video showcases his research on kangaroo personality and behavior — and offers a celebration of human diversity, too.

Related Books & Audiobooks