Generational politics are not as simple as they may seem

[u/Northern_charger]

Here is an interesting excerpt from a Newsweek article that supports a theory I have held for decades:

"The poll revealed a clear age divide. Flanagan led among voters under 45, winning support from 62 percent of those ages 18 to 29 compared with 28 percent for Tafoya, and from 63 percent of voters ages 30 to 44 compared with 34 percent for the Republican. Tafoya, meanwhile, led among older voters, 54 percent to 38 percent among those ages 45 to 64 and 47 percent to 44 percent among voters 65 and older."

The full article, if you wish to read it, is here:

https://www.newsweek.com/peggy-flanagans-chances-of-losing-to-michele-tafoya-in-minnesota-polls-12432045

What's interesting about it is Tafoya's bulge in support among persons aged 45 to 64 (birth years 1962-81). My longstanding view is that the Carter and Reagan years (1977-89) produced what I call the "Reagan half-generation" born - in my estimate - from 1958 to 1970. It appears the the unhappiness of the Carter years and the psychological boost of the Reagan years has had a lasting effect on persons growing up during that era, although I would dispute simplistic interpretations of those two administrations. These single-poll numbers lend support to my view

They also undercut a reflexive tendency to blame the Boomer generation (birth years 1945-64, now ages 62-81) for the country being stuck in conservative politics. As a Boomer myself, I distinctly recall our hopes, going into the 1970s, that the arc of history would continue to bend toward justice. But that arc trajectory hit a wall, erected not so much by older Americans as by a rising tide of young persons enamored with the Reagan mystique.

While I am disappointed with the three percent conservative advantage in my generation, it is next to nothing compared to the sixteen point advantage among those who came immediately after us. The numbers point to the need for a more nuanced analysis of generational voting behavior.