Priorities among men under 50 heading into the midterms

Men’s struggles are real, measurable, and urgent. With a new Congress set to enter the halls of power in 2027, Third Way and the American Institute for Boys and Men partnered to take a look at the challenges facing men, and what policy priorities they want the federal government to address heading into the new year. Men are contending with poor health, uncertain long-term finances, and a lack of support, but they aren’t asking for special treatment. In fact, our research shows that they have clear ideas about how policymakers can help.

Third Way and the American Institute for Boys and Men worked with Global Strategy Group to conduct a nationwide survey in September 2026 of 1,001 men ages 18 to 49, who are registered voters, with an oversample to reach 494 young men 18 to 29 years old.

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Top takeaways from the survey

• Across the political spectrum, men say boys’ and men’s issues aren’t taken seriously. 76% say their issues aren’t taken seriously, including majorities of Democrats (74%), independents (77%) and Republicans (79%). And 78% say that dads do not receive enough support from their community and government.
• Men want Washington focused on addressing inflation, the economy and corruption. Their top priorities for the President and Congress are inflation and cost of living (59%), jobs and the economy (54%), and corruption in government (38%).
• While they are able to meet short-term financial obligations, most men see long-term goals as out of reach. Two-thirds are able to pay immediate expenses, but similar shares also say saving for retirement (67%), homeownership (65%), paying for education (63%), and getting married and starting a family (55%) are out of reach.
• Addressing men’s health, especially issues of mental health, is a high priority. 75% say men’s high rates of suicide and overdose deaths and shorter life expectancy are important to address. And a top policy priority is training therapists, teachers and coaches to recognize mental health challenges in boys and men (87%).
• Childcare and family are key among men’s policy priorities. 82% of men say that new childcare facilities and off-hours care for dads should be a high policy priority; 77% prioritize paid leave so every dad can be with his newborn–with clear majorities (57-60%) believing these are not policies a typical politician would support.
• Men also see apprenticeships and workforce programs as a top need. 79% agree that the government should take action to address declining workforce participation among men, and 82% see expanding apprenticeships, especially in fields like health and education, as a high priority.

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