With podcasts and influencers, the Liberals fight to win back lost ground with younger voters

Trailing in the polls among the younger voters who could decide the next general election, the federal Liberals are scrambling to bring up their social media game and sell their recent budget to skeptical millennials and Gen Z.

After releasing a budget last month built around promises to help younger generations struggling with housing and the cost of living, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went on an online media binge, sitting down for interviews with popular podcasts and YouTube channels about health care (The Gritty Nurse), economics and personal finance (The Plain Bagel) and even women's basketball (The Pick Up).

Trade Minister Mary Ng recently paid out of pocket for a drone she uses to record content when she's travelling on international trade missions. MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith hired a millennial filmmaker to produce his videos full-time.

And Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault'sGen Z staffers have taken over his feeds. They've been leaning into social media trends that the minister claims have increased his reach by 300 per cent in the past month.

One poll suggests that what the Liberals have done since releasing the budget could be starting to move the needle for them. A new survey from Abacus Data says the Liberals have narrowed the gap to five points behind the Conservatives among younger voters — a substantial change from the 23-point gap reported in April. It's the second recent survey showing some movement in the Liberals' direction.

Dan Arnold, who conducted polling for the federal Liberals' last three election campaigns, said younger generations will make up 40 per cent of eligible voters in the next election.

«Right now, the Liberals are in the worst position they've been in with millennials and Gen Z