Bernie Sanders, and Other Democrats, Meet Gen-Z Where They’re At
In April, long-time Democrat and lifelong politician Berine Sanders was invited to speak to young audiences at the famous Coachella music festival in Southern California. The 83-year-old senior Senator from Vermont had been on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, adding the world famous festival to his schedule.
Sanders was brought out on stage by queer recording artist Clario, choosing to use her platform at Coachella to elevate political activism. In his speech to Clairo’s audience, Sanders encouraged Gen- Z to stand up and fight for justice in all facets. Sanders' speech was met with cheers, as well as a loud booing at the mention of President Donald Trump. Sanders implored young people to pay attention to the current happenings in the country, to vote and to fight for economic justice, social justice and racial justice. He also called for Gen-Z to actively engage in the climate crisis and fight for bodily autonomy of women.
The goal of Sanders’ tour is to bring awareness to the current state of the U.S. government, answer questions and give guidance on how the American people can combat the Trump administration, which is decreasing in popularity seemingly everyday. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), joined Sanders for several stops along his tour. In a similar vein to Sanders’s messaging, AOC said in a post on her X account, “You deserve public servants who show up for you.” For many, it is not a surprise that AOC has joined Sanders. The two have had a long-standing affiliation, with strong support of each other in the 2020 presidential election.
Now, Sanders has set his sights on meeting Gen-Z and other young voters where they are. From music festivals to TikTok, Sanders is showing up. His dedication to fighting for minority groups, young people, and voters keeps Sanders at the forefront of Democratic political movements. During an interview with a political newspaper, Mother Jones, a Democrat by the name of John Ward said, “... Kamala [Harris] is not talking, Barack [Obama]’s not talking, [Joe] Biden’s not talking. Right now, he’s [Sanders] the only one talking, and he’s the only one making sense.”
The senior Senator continues to not only appear in person on his tour but on talk shows, broadening his reach. On May 15th, Sanders made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he discussed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as well as the cuts being made to Medicaid by the Trump administration. The previous day he was on C-SPAN where Medicaid was once again the topic of conversation. Clips from both shows were uploaded to Sander’s TikTok page, potentially with the knowledge that these platforms may not reach younger audiences directly.
Sanders is not the only Democratic politician reaching out to young people. Pete Buttigieg, the former Transportation Secretary under the Biden Administration, made an appearance on Andrew Schulz’s podcast, Flagrant. Schulz’s podcast is marketed as a comedy, but is known for hot takes on pop culture, politics and other noteworthy topics. Schulz was criticized for inviting President Trump for an interview during the 2024 election season, hosting former NYC mayor Eric Adams (who currently is facing criminal charges), and for the willingness of Schulz and his co-host, Akaash Singh, to engage in racist content with other podcasters. Regardless, Buttigieg made his appearance and called on Democrats and liberals to engage in the “manosphere.” Buttigieg placed a particular emphasis on the need for both parties to learn and listen to each other.
Seemingly taking a piece out of Buttigieg’s book, Sanders also made an appearance on the Flagrant podcast, uploaded on May 19th, just a few days after Buttigieg’s spot. In the episode, Sanders critiqued the Democratic party for not prioritizing the working class, expressed his concern about the influence of billionaires in the political landscape, and addressed the continuous cuts to healthcare, amongst other topics. Sanders once again placed an emphasis on the importance of listening and watching the way the current administration is working. He highlighted the importance of the working-class voters and young voters, explaining to viewers that the Democratic party should not ignore where a large portion of their votes come from.
According to an article from Tufts’ Circle, only 42% of Gen-Z voted in the 2024 presidential election. This is a significantly smaller percentage than the 2020 presidential election, where it is estimated that over half of Gen-Z cast their ballots. Unfortunately, many members of Gen-Z feel that they are not welcome in the political landscape, as mistrust in institutions such as Congress and news media grows.
Still, other members of Gen-Z refuse to back down. Some Gen-Z creators on TikTok have begun crafting entire platforms based on their political beliefs and willingly engaging in debates about right-wing politics. Gen-Z political debater Dean Withers, like many other online personalities, aims to elevate young people’s understanding of the current political landscape. With his copious amounts of research and deep understanding of American History, Withers shows the U.S. that there are young people who care, who are educated, and who want in on the world of U.S. politics. The 20-year-old has been seen at the White House with former president Joe Biden and taking a tour of his own looking to debate Charlie Kirk, co-founder of right wing conservative group, Turning Point USA and giving talks at college campuses. And Withers is not the only one. Gen-Zers across TikTok and the internet have turned to confronting right-wing politics directly as a means of engaging with young audiences – e.g. Hasan Piker, and more.
Perhaps the reason Gen-Z resonates with Sanders so much for his treatment of them as a respectable collective. In a 2019 interview with Teen Vogue, Sanders called Gen-Z, “a generation of tolerance and decency.” He went on to say that Gen-Z should be proud of who they are and the acceptance that they stand for. This, coupled with his willingness to listen and educate has long kept Sanders popular with the younger voting demographic.
Buttigieg has not seen the same consistent popularity as Sanders. Criticisms about Buttigieg's angering of his own party and fellow LGBTQ+ community members can be found online. Regardless, Sanders and Buttigieg are not afraid to speak their minds, while also listening to others, watching others and learning from others. Most notably, the two are not afraid of opposition and confronting misinformation. Their unique approach to outreach meets Gen-Z where they are at – at music festivals, on TikTok, or at rallies – and it may be something other politicians should consider doing.