What Do Young Republicans Think Of The Party Regarding Minorities, Women And Compromising?

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in January called on his fellow Republicans to “stop being the stupid party,” following the GOP's painful loss in the 2012 presidential election. And younger Republicans are sending the same message to the party, offering advice for possibly performing better in national elections.

A Pew Research Center survey of Republican and Republican-leaning adults found that younger Republicans are more open to the nomination of women and minorities in national elections and think there should be more compromise with congressional Democrats. Some are even less likely to specifically call themselves Republicans.

Here’s what researchers found:

Nominate More Minorities And Women

A CNN exit poll after last November’s election showed 55 percent of women supported Obama while 44 percent voted for Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Racial and ethnic minorities also gave Obama a boost in his re-election.

Young Republicans believe the party’s chances for winning can be helped by nominating more minority and women candidates. More specifically, 68 percent of those under 40 who are Republican or lean toward the party say nominating more racial and ethnic minorities would help, while 64 percent think the same about having female nominees. Fewer Republicans 40 and older believe that way, though, with 49 percent saying the nomination of more racial and ethnic minorities would not have any impact and 46 percent saying the same of women nominees.

GOP Hasn’t Been So Welcoming

While 60 percent of Republicans think the party is tolerant of all groups of people, young Republicans are somewhat divided on this issue, with 51 percent agreeing and 45 percent disagreeing. Still, post-election reports released earlier this year by the Republican National Committee and by college Republicans have warned that public perception of the GOP is one of many aspects the party must change in order to make some headway with voters.

“Young voters are increasingly rolling their eyes at what the party represents, and many minorities wrongly think that Republicans do not like them or want them in the country,” the RNC report read. “When someone rolls their eyes at us, they are not likely to open their ears to us.”

Less Likely To Say They're Republicans

According to Pew, one-third of the people who are Republican or lean toward the GOP are under 40. However, the younger these supporters are, the less likely they are to call themselves Republican, with 59 percent saying they are Republicans as opposed to 41 percent who will just say they lean toward the GOP. The loyalty is stronger within the older group, with 65 percent Republicans and 35 percent comfortable being classified as leaning in that direction.

You Don’t Compromise Enough

Whether it's budgets, immigration reform or the economy, Republicans and Democrats just can’t find much common ground. Still, nearly 40 percent of young Republicans think there isn’t enough compromise in Washington, saying congressional Republicans haven’t compromised enough with their Democratic counterparts. Only 25 percent of older Republicans feel the same way.