Janice R. Andrews
Unexpectedly, Kamala Harris, the Democratic contender for president, has experienced a notable uptick in support among younger people in the current contest against Donald Trump. This unexpected support from Generation Z and millennial voters might be a critical boost for the Democratic ticket with less than three months until Election Day.
In eight crucial election states, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 were polled in a recent Don’t PAC Down study. According to the statistics, Harris is ahead of Trump in their head-to-head comparison by a ratio of 51% to 42%. This represents a significant departure from previous polls that had Trump leading Harris by four points in early July, 48 to 44 percent.
The results of the survey also emphasize the significance of President Biden’s recent decision to withdraw from the race and support Harris. Prior to this upheaval, a fictitious contest between Biden and Trump had somewhat closer results with younger voters. In this group, for example, 32 percent of respondents supported Trump, 31 percent supported Biden, and 15 percent of respondents supported Independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.
According to the most recent data, Kennedy’s support has decreased to 7%, with Harris currently leading with 42%, Trump with 33%, and Kennedy at 7%. This change highlights how the contest is evolving, especially with younger people who appear to be supporting Harris as the Democratic Party’s new face.
The poll also reveals which particular groups Harris has gained the greatest ground on. Women, Black voters, voters with college degrees, and voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have shown a discernible uptick in support for Harris. In general, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 say they are more excited about the race now that Biden has left office, with 77 percent of Democrats in this age range saying they are more excited.
Additionally, Harris’s favorability rating has significantly improved, rising by sixteen points since the beginning of July. As of this month, she is viewed positively by 49% of Gen Z and young voters, whereas Trump’s favorability has slightly decreased at 40%.
It’s interesting to note that, in contrast to the previous survey results, Harris now leads Trump in nine out of twelve leadership traits. This increase in support is probably related to both campaigns’ attempts to reach out to younger voters more successfully.
Harris’s campaign has made the most of social media, especially TikTok, where her videos have received more views than those of Trump. Furthermore, the majority of the top-performing TikTok posts praising Harris are positive, whereas the majority of those mentioning Trump are negative, according to analytics platform Zelf.
As a result, Trump has taken personal steps to engage younger people. In an attempt to reach this important audience, he recently participated in a wide-ranging discussion with Gen Z streamer Adin Ross and joined YouTuber Logan Paul on his show.
The contest for the youth vote is getting more fierce as the race heats up, with both sides realizing how important these people will be in deciding the 2024 election’s result.
