Atlanta Young Republicans talk turnout, recruitment following Georgia runoff

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker speaks during a campaign stop in Cumming, Ga., Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

On this edition of “Closer Look,” Atlanta Young Republicans President Allen English and Vice President of Membership Winslow Jones reflect on the outcome of the 2022 Georgia midterms and recruitment efforts for their party.

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement estimates more than 30% of Georgia youth, covering people ages 18 through 29, voted in the election.

Those results do not cover Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff, which ended with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s reelection, but still leaves Atlanta Young Republicans thinking about recruiting efforts for one of the key demographics shaping elections across the country.

Both Jones and English agreed there’s a disconnect with many younger voters and talked about initiatives to work with on-campus events and to draw in more diverse groups of voters.

“I think that the Republican party needs to make a better effort,” Jones said. “It would be helpful to have other people go into those venues and just have good conversations in the colleges about what the Republican party really stands for.”