By Wendy McElroy at Brownstone dot org.

Democrats cannot answer "What is a Woman?" so it is not surprising that they struggle to answer "What is a Man?" But answer they must because the 'young male vote' could mean winning or losing the midterms. And, if Democrats persist in treating men in an insulting manner, they will lose and should lose..

The question of how to connect with men arose in the 2024 Presidential election because Democrats were desperate to draw on the 'young male vote,' which was skewing strongly toward Trump. Moreover, in 2024, only 58.3% of 18 to 24 year-olds were registered to vote compared to 80.5% of those 65 to 74; unregistered young men were an untapped demographic, but only if they could be reached.

About 9 weeks before the 2024 election, culture columnist Claire Cain Miller warned Democrats in a New York Times article entitled "Many Gen Z Men Feel Left Behind." Miller explained, "Some see Trump as an answer" to the demonization of men by identity politics. "Men under 30 are much more likely to support Donald Trump than women their age. It's a far bigger gender gap than in older generations." The Democrats tried but badly failed to bridge this gap.

And after the election? The post-analysis confirmed the rightward shift of young voters, especially young Black and Latino men. The Harvard Kennedy Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation explains why. "I think the Democratic Party's vision for men has been to be more like women. That's really been the cultural message: you are not really supposed to embrace masculinity." Instead, the post-analysis suggests sending men the political message "that you have control over your own circumstances and with enough work, you can rise above and lead your family."

But Democrats chose to double down on their defining issues, such as identity politics, transgender rights, abortion, hating Trump, and mandating wokeness—issues that were likely to alienate many if not most young men.

Now it's 2026, and it is ballot season again; Democrats are desperate for the male vote again. This is especially true after the 192-page Democratic National Committee autopsy of the bungled 2024 Presidential campaign was finally released in May 2026. The report states, "Harris saw dramatic drops in support among young Latino men and young Black men compared to Biden's 2020 performance." Again, the recommendation is to shift from identity politics to directly engaging male voters on the basis of their concerns.

But the DNC autopsy has a curious omission in its recommendation to engage with male voters: it says nothing about the best issues to discuss. Nothing. Perhaps they should have consulted the International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) that lists 12 issues that are paramount for many men. Consider a representative sampling of 4 issues from the ICMB list; compare ICMB's findings in 2024 with my own research on the same issues in 2026.

Health. 2024: According to (2021) World Data, the average US male lives 74.8 years; the average female, 80.2. 2026: According to Worldometer, males live 77.39 years; females 82.23. The ratio is the same and, yet, women's health is consistently better funded.

Partner Abuse. Little seems to have changed. 2024 and 2026 both report 1 in 4 men are victims of domestic violence. Yet, compared to women, next to no shelters or services exist for men.

Homelessness. 2024: Of the nations that keep sex-specific data on homelessness, ICMB Research finds 76% of the homeless are men. 2026: Stats vary but recent estimates for the US place homeless males at 60% of this population. Nevertheless, males are less likely to have access to shelters and services.

Reproduction. 2024 and 2026 are identical. Men must legally support a biological child with no right to refuse the responsibility. Women can often terminate their pregnancies at will but men have no legal say in this matter either.

The 12-item list is an opportunity for Democrats to gain male votes because—...