A recent effort to boost Republican voter turnout among young men at college campuses is facing significant hurdles amid widespread political apathy. The initiative, led by 24-year-old conservative activist C.J. Pearson, seeks to engage typically disengaged college students by hosting tailgate parties at football games, aiming to make voting a more appealing activity for his generation.

Pearson, known for his outspoken conservative commentary since his viral video in 2015 criticizing former President Barack Obama, has branched into political advocacy through his Next250 PAC. The organization’s outreach includes incorporating political messages into familiar social settings, such as fraternity tailgates, often pairing candidates with students in hopes of sparking interest in voting. Notable appearances at these events have included Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds at Florida State University and Rep. Mike Collins, who is running for Senate, at the University of Georgia.

At a recent tailgate at the University of Alabama with the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, the challenges of mobilizing this demographic were apparent. The fraternity itself is currently on disciplinary probation until 2030 for past hazing violations. Many attendees expressed little interest in politics, describing themselves as apolitical or disengaged. Some participants admitted to supporting the voter turnout message only in jest, with one student saying the efforts “just piss everyone off” and deter social gatherings, while a 21-year-old named Saint Villere questioned the impact of voting, calling it “too much work” unlikely to change anyone’s life.

The campaign’s slogan, “Make America Party Again,” reflects a strategy to blend political mobilization with campus social culture, though critics and campus members remain skeptical. Karlin Klass, operations director for the PAC and Pearson’s former classmate, emphasized the challenge of converting passive support into actual voter registration and turnout. She pointed to data from Harvard’s Institute of Politics showing that just 31 percent of men aged 18 to 29 said they would “definitely vote” in 2026, a significant drop from 42 percent in the 2022 midterms.

Pearson’s outreach also draws on the cultural resonance of college football and fraternity life, even as some Greek organizations face reputational issues amid recent controversies and suspensions. He acknowledged that instances of misconduct in Greek life should not be taken as representative of all fraternities but did not downplay the challenges such negative perceptions present.

Among the few politically engaged students was Carter Drew, a fraternity brother from Birmingham who said he participates in voting as a “civil duty” but suggested the Republican Party should adopt more moderate positions to broaden its appeal. Meanwhile, one highlight of the event—a figure known locally as Roll Tide Willie—initially showed support for voting but appeared to retract his enthusiasm shortly after, posting a video on social media disparaging election mailers and declaring he no longer votes.

As the tailgate wound down and supporters dispersed, the broader message from these events was clear: efforts to spur political engagement among young men, particularly on Republican lines, face deep-seated skepticism and disinterest that will require sustained outreach, rather than quick fixes. Pearson himself acknowledged this reality, stating that building connections with low-propensity voters “is going to take work, and it’s going to take a prolonged relationship.”