Poll: Trump cuts Biden’s lead with young voters
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is losing support among young voters, according to a new poll, as his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict and other issues have spurred dissatisfaction in the group.
The Harvard Youth poll, conducted among 2,010 people ages 18-29, found Biden outperforming Trump 50%-37% among registered young voters and 56%-37% among likely young voters. Among all young adults below 30, those figures narrow, with 45% supporting Biden and 37% for Trump. Sixteen percent of Americans remain undecided.
By contrast, the president had a much higher lead at this stage during the 2020 election, according to the poll. At that time, 60% of likely young voters under 30 supported Biden while only 30% supported Trump, and 51% of all young adults supported Biden while 28% supported Trump.
The poll was conducted March 14-21 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
“Young people today have clear concerns about where our country is headed,” said Setti Warren, the director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, in a news release. “From worries about the economy, foreign policy, immigration, and climate, young people across the country are paying attention and are increasingly prepared to make their voices heard at the ballot box this November.”
The Israel-Hamas conflict is one issue driving young voters to the polls. The poll found that more young Americans think Israel’s actions are unjustified rather than justified.
Immigration is also becoming a hot topic. While 53% of young Americans think there is a crisis at the southern border, 50% agree that immigrants “improve the culture” of the U.S. and 45% oppose the construction of a wall.
Other polls have also found that Biden has weak support among young voters. For instance, a USA TODAY/ Suffolk University Poll released in January found that among registered voters under 35, Trump leads 37%-33%.
Experts say young voters nationally may ultimately decide the 2024 presidential race. In 2016, young voters helped Trump claim victory by either staying home or choosing a third-party candidate. In 2020 they helped Biden win by turning out in near-record numbers and skipping third-party options.