*By Christian Smith* Republicans may stand to lose more than just the House if the party doesn't address millennial needs, said GOP strategist Evan Siegfried. "The party needs to adapt or die," Siegfried said Monday in an interview on Cheddar. "The Democratic punch is coming." The punch is a result of changing demographics within the American electorate. In each election, the American voting population becomes less white and better educated, a shift that Siegfried said will pose a major threat to Republicans if they don't prioritize issues like student debt which are important to the country's largest voting bloc. Siegfried cited Democratic Socialist and 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders as an exemplar of successful outreach to the millennial base. Though he may disagree with the Senator's viewpoints, Siegfried said Republicans would do well to imitate Sanders's methods. "Millennials are the most fiscally conservative generation since the Great Depression, and the Republican Party's fiscal, conservative message actually reaches out and would be perfect for them, but we haven't been able to do so," Siegfried said. "We have been viewed and portrayed as the stereotype of an anti-woman, anti-minority party. Unfortunately with Donald Trump's rise, he has helped to cement the stereotype as reality." But there is an opportunity for the GOP ー while millennial voters are the least likely demographic to identify as Republican according to a [poll](http://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/1-generations-party-identification-midterm-voting-preferences-views-of-trump/) from the Pew Research Center, an [April poll](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-millennials/exclusive-democrats-lose-ground-with-millennials-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1I10YH) by Reuters found that enthusiasm for the Democratic Party among the group is slipping, and young voters increasingly consider the Republican Party a better steward for the economy. For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/one-republican-strategists-plan-to-help-the-gop-win-over-millennial-voters).

Share:
More In Politics
NY State Sen. John Liu Discusses AAPI Representation in Politics, Ongoing Hate Crimes
New York State Senator John Liu spoke with Cheddar News about Asian-American representation in politics, his bill to make Asian-American history mandatory in schools, and the ongoing hate crimes against his community. State Sen. Liu also discussed the debate over student loan forgiveness and gave his take on artificial intelligence in education.
Criminal Defense Attorney Discusses NY Rep. Santos Charges
Criminal defense attorney Tamara Holder joined Cheddar News to break down the charges that New York Republican Congressman George Santos is facing. "When the feds come after you -- and this is for anyone, a politician or not -- they generally have already built their case before they indict you," Holder said, regarding the timeline of Rep. Santos' arrest.
Load More