In small towns and rural communities, young voters say they feel unseen by leaders

"Andrew Tait has a long workday. He bookends shifts as a warehouse supervisor for a nearby factory with early morning and late night chores on his family's small farm in rural Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. He's quick to call himself lucky. But no matter how much the 36-year-old father of two young girls works, he says they barely scrape by and the goalposts for success keep moving."

"He's among a generation of young Americans confronting a daunting reality: one of inflated prices and growing concerns about their financial futures. It's an experience facing Gen Z and millennial voters throughout the U.S., each in their own unique ways. For those living in rural communities and small towns, it's left many feeling as if their hardships have gone unseen and unaddressed by politicians vying for their support."

Andrew Tait works long days as a warehouse supervisor and manages chores on his family's small Shenandoah Valley farm, yet he and his partner barely make ends meet. He maintains a paid mortgage but fears rising grocery bills and expensive holidays. He and his partner delayed marriage to avoid losing Medicaid coverage for their daughters because his employer-sponsored plan is unaffordable for the whole family. Many Gen Z and millennial voters across the U.S. face inflated prices, healthcare costs and diminishing prospects. Young people in rural communities often feel their economic struggles are unseen and unaddressed by political leaders, fueling dissatisfaction.

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