Politically active young Oklahomans are headed to the polls on Tuesday with concerns about healthcare, climate change and the economy, according to a Gaylord News survey.

Survey participants were members of OU College Republicans, Young Democrats of Oklahoma, the OU Student Leftist Union and the OU College of Law.

Sixty-six percent of the 61 people who responded to the Feb. 13-21 survey were 18 to 25 years old. Eighty-four percent were registered voters and said they were politically engaged. Seventy-four percent said they were more politically engaged than their parents.

Forty-three percent identified as Republican and 38% as Democrat. Three percent said they were Libertarian and 16% were Independents.

Thirty-three percent said they were conservative, 23% said they were moderate, 15% were liberal and 12% said they were progressive. Ten percent chose Other.

The economy was ranked as the most important issue by 80% of those surveyed. Healthcare followed at 78%, with immigration and abortion tying for third at 77%.

Joseph Howard, 20, an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps student, is vice president of OU College Republicans, the largest conservative club at the University of Oklahoma. An international studies major, Howard said he represents a new generation of Republican voters more likely to defy stereotypical expectations on issues of race and gender.

People have to understand that gay marriage is the law of the land, Howard said. And I think its incredibly remarkable and incredibly hopeful that we have the first openly gay presidential candidate running right now whos married, whos able to walk on stage and kiss his husband and hold hands with his husband, and nobody really bats an eye.

Howard said older members of his party have ignored or flat-out denied man-made causes of global warming, but he is hopeful younger Republicans can guide the party toward taking environmental issues seriously.

Were stewards of the earth, of one planet, and were ruining it, Howard said. And the Republican Party does have a rich environmental history, going all the way back to Teddy Roosevelt creating the National Forest Service and establishing national parks..

Ruben Hernandez, 19, a freshman history major and member of OU College Republicans, said his views are more based on his religious beliefs than political ideology.

Im a Christian first, and a Republican second, he said.

The pro-life movement drew Hernandez, who is Catholic, but he is concerned about poverty and the environment.

My family is one that has come from a lot of poverty. But the way the left has wanted to institute tackling it Ive looked around other Latin American countries whove tried the same measures, and all it does is make sure people are equally poor, rather than giving them the means of social mobility.

Hernandez said the Green New Deal would largely be rendered ineffective because of the wealthy in other countries being able to exploit loopholes.

But I do acknowledge that some regulations will need to be stepped up as technology continues to change and corporations continue to gain more and more power, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said his political advocacy surprised his parents.

My familys had to deal with quite a bit, so they probably see it more as us vs. them, Hernandez said. They just dont think of politics or the grander scheme.

Seventy-nine percent said they followed President Donald Trumps impeachment trial. Fifty-eight percent said they were unfavorable toward Trump before the trial, while 32% said they viewed him favorably and 10% were indifferent. The trial did not change their opinions.

Logan Dunn, 22, a media student of Cherokee descent, grew up near Tulsa. The only child of a single mother, Dunn said she was not politically engaged until recently. She supports Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

A former libertarian who voted for Gary Johnson in 2016, Dunn said he is now a moderate Democrat and supported Andrew Yang.

As much as I like Bernie, hes not going to unite the country, because the right will go insane because they think a socialist is going to ruin America.

Dunn said his mother felt she did not have enough information to glean the right conclusions in the impeachment trial.

After a day and a half, I had to turn it off. Im still anti-Trump for a lot of reasons, but I think the two parties involved [werent] going to come to any agreement regardless, so Im less inclined to care.

The survey suggests that issues, not personalities, are the focus for young voters.

If you consume yourself with the nitty-gritty of everyday politics, instead of actually involving yourself with the issues underlying everything, youre going to end up being a much angrier person, Howard said.

Gaylord College student John Adkins contributed to this report.

Gaylord News is a reporting project of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma.

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Young Oklahomans worried about economy, healthcare, climate ahead of Super Tuesday - WoodwardNews.net