Report: Generation Next more confident, more tolerant and more Democratic

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Generation Next is more optimistic, more tolerant and more likely a Democratic voter than its predecessor, according to a new study. <br/><br/>The group's tilt toward the Democratic

Tuesday, January 9th 2007, 3:09 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Generation Next is more optimistic, more tolerant and more likely a Democratic voter than its predecessor, according to a new study.

The group's tilt toward the Democratic Party is far different from the previous younger generation, known as Generation X, who grew up during the Reagan administration of the 1980s and was more inclined to support Republicans.

``This portends a significant political impact as they get more engaged,'' said Scott Keeter, a researcher from the Pew Research Center. ``If they carry their party leanings with them, that will make a big difference.''

Forty-eight percent of young adults age 18 to 25 said they were Democrats or leaned that direction while 35 percent said they were Republican or leaned that way in 2006, according to Pew polling.

The study also found a great acceptance for same-sex marriage. Forty-seven percent of those age 18 to 25 favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry while 30 percent of those 26 and older favor gay marriage.

While they are a generally optimistic group, large majorities think that casual sex, binge drinking, illegal drug use and violence are more prevalent among young people today.

Asked about their generation, most say getting rich and being famous are top goals.

The study found that the young adults:

_Are less inclined to vote than older generations, though young voter turnout was up significantly in 2004. About 54 percent of those from 18 to 24 voted in 2004, and 74 percent of those 25 and over voted, Keeter said.

_Have more liberal views than other generations on questions of race and homosexuality and immigration.

_Read the newspaper and follow the news on television and radio less than those in older generations.

_Keep in close touch with their parents, both for advice and for financial help.

_Are inclined to use online social networking sites like Facebook and My Space. More than half had used one of these sites.

_Tend to most admire people they personally know rather than the famous. Entertainers were twice as likely to be named as political leaders.

_Have gotten a tattoo, dyed their hair an untraditional color or had a body piercing.

The study, a collaboration of the Pew Research Center and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, is based on Edison-Mitofsky exit polls, past Pew polls and a Pew survey of 1,501 adults, including 579 people from ages 18-25, taken Sept. 6-Oct. 2. The study had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 5 percentage points for the young adults.