Cat ladies for Kamala was never just a meme.
“Our NBC News Decision Desk poll asked Gen Z adults (18-29 years old) what they consider important to a successful life,” writes data analyst Steve Kornacki. “The combination of gender and politics produced two very different sets of priorities.” (Fine, Let Liberals Be Childless Heathens. It Just Means Conservatives Win)
Among young women who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, having a fulfilling job/career ranked as the top priority, with 51 percent of respondents including it in their personal definition of success. In second place: “Having money to do things you want.” In third place: “Having emotional stability.”
Our NBC News Decision Desk poll asked Gen Z adults (18-29 years old) what they consider important to a successful life. The combination of gender and politics produced two very different sets of priorities: pic.twitter.com/xvm0t4IKaT
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) September 8, 2025
That last item is a bit of a moonshot.
Liberal women aged 18-40 are the least likely cohort to report complete satisfaction with life, according to a 2024 American Family Survey. Pollsters report 12 percent of liberal women are “completely satisfied,” as compared to 37 percent of conservative women.
But happiness is not equivalent to emotional stability. Emotional stability might be better pursued by crafting a cocktail of world-numbing SSRIs to spirit you through the work week at your fulfilling job/career.
As for “having money to do things you want,” what are the things that these young liberal women want to do? Less than ten percent of Harris-voters told NBC that “being married” and “having children” were important to their personal definition of success. Another 19 percent include “making family/community proud” in their definition. (The Kids Are Not All Right … And They’re Boring As Hell)
The majority of men who voted for Harris reported “fulfilling job/career” was important to their definition of success, at 54 percent of respondents. “Having money to do things you want” and “using talents and resources to help others” were also popular.
The numbers for Gen Z women who voted for Trump and Gen Z men who voted for Harris pic.twitter.com/JZP0Eb1OQy
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) September 8, 2025
Among men who voted for then-candidate Donald Trump, the numbers look different.
“Having children” ranked number one for male Trump voters, with 34 percent of respondents including it in their personal definition of success. “Financial independence,” “fulfilling job/career,” and “being married” were all favored as well.
As for women who voted for Trump, 40 percent chose financial independence as important to their personal definition of success. Another 32 percent picked “fulfilling job/career,” 26 percent chose “having children,” and 20 percent chose “being married.”
The numbers could be a little higher all around. That the majority of Trump-voting young men and women don’t consider “having children” as an important part of success is troubling. So, too, is the 6 percent of female Trump voters that want kids, but apparently don’t care if the kids’ father is around to raise them.
If this poll doesn’t spell spectacular results for the right, it certainly spells doom for the left.
Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatSandovalDC
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