Recent public opinion polling has revealed a shift in sentiment among young Americans towards former President Donald Trump.
Traditionally, older conservative demographics have favored Republican candidates in US elections, while younger, more progressive cohorts have tended to support Democratic candidates. Therefore, this recent development has garnered increased attention.
According to reports from international media outlets, rising living costs and growing dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s interventionist foreign policy have contributed to a disengagement of young voters.
According to a survey conducted by Reuters in collaboration with polling firm Ipsos and released on the 21st, local time, among respondents aged 18-29, President Biden’s approval rating stands at 29%, with former President Trump at 26%, indicating a mere three percentage point difference.
In a survey conducted by Marist College last month from the 25th to the 28th, 51% of respondents from the Millennial generation (aged 24-39, born in the early 1980s to mid-1990s) and Generation Z (aged 18-23, born in the late 1990s to early 2000s) expressed support for former President Trump, slightly ahead of President Biden (49%) by a 2% margin.
Furthermore, there is an evident upward trend in the support for the Republican Party among young people.
According to Reuters/Ipsos surveys, while only 24% of respondents aged 18-29 expressed support for the Republican Party in 2016, this figure increased to 26% in 2020 and now stands at around 28% this year.
This upward trend is also noticeable on the campaign trail.
Reuters reported that hundreds of young voters were among the thousands of supporters gathered at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on the 2nd of this month.
The primary reason young individuals are turning their attention towards former President Trump is attributed to economic concerns.
According to Reuters, among 20 supporters under 30 interviewed in Green Bay, 15 cited economic issues as their main reason for supporting Trump.
They expressed concerns about rising prices, which they feel more keenly than the soaring stock market or low unemployment rates.
For example, 26-year-old Steve Went stated, “I’m earning a decent income, but on my current salary, I can’t afford to buy a house.” He argued, “We need someone in the presidential office to bring down prices.”
Additionally, most respondents negatively viewed the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine, aligning more closely with former President Trump’s isolationist stance.
Colin Crago (19) stated, “I’m not particularly fond of our involvement in Ukraine,” suggesting that those funds could be better utilized addressing domestic issues such as drug addiction.
The Trump campaign views this increase in support among young demographics as an opportunity.
Anna Kelly, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, emphasized economic issues, stating, “Young individuals are struggling with high rent, gasoline, and grocery expenses, and are facing difficulties in purchasing homes due to plummeting real wages.”
A consultant for the Trump campaign highlighted the importance of young demographics as a critical demographic that can be swayed in this election, stating that economic issues and international conflicts are central themes that resonate with young people.
However, some analysts caution that the actual impact of this trend on the election results remains uncertain.
Young demographics tend to have lower voter turnout than older demographics, and some polls still indicate significant support for President Biden among young voters.
According to a recent poll by The Economist and Ipsos, among respondents under 30, President Biden led former President Trump by 19 percentage points, with 51% support compared to Trump’s 32%.
The Biden campaign is also making comprehensive efforts not to overlook the crucial young voter demographic.
The Biden campaign allocated $30 million (approximately 41.4 billion won) to digital platform-based advertising and announced a project to recruit volunteer campaigners targeting high school and college students.
Additionally, as reported by Reuters, they are emphasizing efforts to support abortion rights and investments in clean energy to appeal to young voters.
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