Johnny Manziel, Colt McCoy and Danny Amendola are set to campaign with President Trump in Texas, extending Republicans’ effort to use football figures and events to energize voters—especially young men—in the midterms. But recent polling suggests that audience may be slipping away from Republicans.

By the Numbers
  • Trump won men under 30 by 14 points in 2024, according to a Tufts University analysis.
  • Democrats lead Republicans by 26 points among young men who say they’ll definitely vote in November, a recent Harvard Youth Poll found.
  • Trump has attended more than two dozen high-profile sporting events since taking office in January 2025.
Yes, But

Football gives Trump access to voters who may not follow politics closely, and a campaign adviser says the atmosphere and response have been positive. Still, the polling gap among young men raises questions about whether sports-focused outreach is translating into support.

State of Play
  • Manziel, McCoy and Amendola are expected to join Trump at campaign appearances in Lubbock and Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
  • Trump has also campaigned alongside former athletes and coaches, while Republicans are spending heavily on ads during football games.
What’s Next

The Texas appearances will test whether football personalities can help Republicans boost midterm engagement among young men. The available polling suggests that converting attention into votes remains the bigger challenge.

Bottom Line

Football is a campaign megaphone, not proof of political momentum: Republicans are courting young men, but current polling points to a substantial gap with Democrats.