Staff Reports
As Donald Trump eyes a potential return to the White House, the polls are beginning to light up like a Christmas tree. Just yesterday, CBS News/YouGov America dropped a new poll showing Trump with a slight edge over President Joe Biden, coming in at 50-49 percent. But the real popcorn-popping stuff is their look at young voters. Apparently, Boomers aren’t getting high marks from millennials and Gen Zers, who are convinced their older compatriots have left them with a bag full of problems and no solutions.
CBS paints a grim picture for young folks: tough to buy a home, tougher still to raise a family, and harder than ever to land a satisfying job, never mind starting a business. Despite the media’s parade of “strong national jobs numbers,” these young Americans aren’t buying it and feel economically short-changed. But here’s the twist—while they whine about their uncertain futures, they also seem less interested in actually doing something about it at the ballot box. Young voters have the lowest intention to march to the polls this November, with just 66 percent saying they “definitely will vote.”
Latest @ajc Presidential Polling numbers. President Trump is also in the lead among young voters ages 18-29.
Trump – 37%
Biden – 12%
RFK Jr. – 29% pic.twitter.com/ZvSlXUb5Ng— Julianne Thompson (@JEThompson) June 25, 2024
And who can blame them? They’re not big fans of their choices. Biden’s camp is scrambling, given that only 44 percent of young voters believe he “may not finish a second term.” Young Democrats are noticeably more lethargic this cycle, while their Republican peers seem more likely to march out and vote. Quite the achievement for the candidate with a pulse on America’s true heartbeat—Trump. With 88 percent of Republicans ready to vote compared to 80 percent of Democrats, it’s clear which base is more energized.
These young voters could care less about what their Boomer folks worry about and pile on the predictable “woke” issues—climate, abortion, and diversity—but don’t get too excited, Biden. They’re not exactly clicking their heels over him, either. Many feel the President hasn’t gone far enough on these topics. In any case, their dissatisfaction isn’t translating to voter turnout. Instead, they’re sitting out the game like it’s a Sunday league cricket match they couldn’t care less about.
And then there’s the abortion hysteria that the Bidenites love to whip up. The idea of a national law that makes abortion available up until birth for any reason isn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser. Biden is calling for the moon and stars, but even among his young base, there’s skepticism about his ability to deliver. A plurality of voters, including the young ones, believe Trump would simply let states decide abortion laws—so much for the scary Trump boogeyman routine.
So here we are, watching Biden’s “youthful and hip” voter base feeling all “meh” about the election. Meanwhile, more of Trump’s supporters are gearing up to vote. CBS’s numbers show that 48 percent of voters under 30 believe that neither candidate understands them, but let’s face it: even a disengaged young base is a better deal for Trump. Maybe instead of crying about it, these young voters could try actually casting a ballot for once. Until then, Trump might just cruise back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, leaving Biden’s campaign strategists biting their nails.
