Republicans risk losing younger voters unless living standards improve, the vice president has said
The US Republican Party must address the economic pressures facing Americans or risk driving more young people toward socialism, Vice President J.D. Vance has said.
Vance made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, pointing to the cost of housing and education, access to well-paid jobs, and the ability to start a family as key concerns.
“Our response to that can’t just be to ignore the economic concerns that I think are feeding this rising interest in socialism,” Vance said.
He pointed to what he described as trillions of dollars in new investment flowing into the US, saying it would create middle-class jobs. He also cited stabilizing housing prices and the administration’s push for lower interest rates, while acknowledging that the effects of its policies could take time to be felt.
“My warning to my fellow Republicans would be if we don’t get this right, don’t blame young people for being sympathetic to socialism. We’ve got to blame ourselves,” Vance said.
He added that Republicans could not counter the trend simply by defending the free market, saying “You don’t stop socialism by throwing slogans at people about the free market. You stop socialism by making people’s lives better.”
Vance’s comments come ahead of November’s midterm elections, with the cost of living among the main issues worrying voters. A national poll conducted by Marquette University Law School in May showed inflation and living costs were the public’s top concern, cited by 37% of respondents.
Economic pressures have been compounded by higher energy costs fueled by the US-Israeli war on Iran and by Trump’s tariffs, while high home prices have made homeownership more difficult to attain. The median asking price for a US home stood at $430,000 in June, according to data cited by Forbes.
The economic strain has coincided with greater openness to socialism among younger Americans. A Gallup poll in 2025 showed that 39% of US adults viewed socialism positively, compared to 54% that held a high opinion of capitalism, and 81% that favored free enterprise, with socialism more popular among younger adults.
The divide has also become more visible in electoral politics, with progressive candidates making gains in Democratic primaries across the country. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, rose to prominence on an affordability-focused platform.
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Vance has previously blamed decades of policy under both Republican and Democratic governments for the economic discontent, pointing to the loss of US manufacturing jobs, pressure on wages, and rising living costs.
Republicans have also faced weak ratings on the economy. The Marquette survey put Trump’s approval on the economy at 30% and on inflation and the cost of living at 22%, while respondents favored Democrats over Republicans on handling both issues.
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