Young voters are increasingly disenchanted with President Biden, and it is crucial for the Democratic Party to acknowledge and address their concerns if they want to maintain support from the next generation. According to a recent New York Times-Siena poll conducted between July 23-27, Biden’s approval ratings are low overall, but particularly dismal among young voters aged 18-29. Only 4% of young voters expressed a very favorable opinion of him, compared to 17% of the general population. Similarly, only 4% of young people strongly approve of the president, compared to 18% of Americans overall.
This marks a significant shift in sentiment, as Gen Z showed strong support for Biden during the last election cycle. Nearly two-thirds of young voters voted for him in 2020, and a remarkable 59% approved of his performance in January 2021, surpassing even Barack Obama’s approval ratings during much of his presidency.
However, witnessing Biden’s actions in office has caused young people to hesitate. It is difficult to ignore his lackluster handling of the economy, ongoing corruption concerns, and tendency to demonize political opponents. Furthermore, his public mishaps, such as stumbling through speeches, falling off bikes, and getting lost at the White House, have not helped his case. It is no wonder that his approval rating among young voters has plummeted since taking office.
A Harvard poll found that only 36% of 18-29-year-olds currently approve of Biden, representing a significant 23-point decline and the largest drop among any demographic. The signs have been evident for some time now, as young people have been growing disillusioned with their once-favored candidate. By participating in democratic primaries, young voters aged 18-29 are sending a clear message: they want someone else as their representative. Only 17% of them wish to see Biden renominated by the Democratic Party in 2024, compared to 45% of all Democratic primary voters.
So, why is there such a strong rejection of Biden among young voters? A considerable 40% of young Democratic primary voters seeking an alternative candidate believe that Biden is too old. This number is twice as high as those who simply prefer someone else and more than three times the number with a negative view of his job performance.
It is no surprise that an 86-year-old president does not resonate with young people. How can they forget when Biden struggled to answer Scott Pelley’s question about his mental focus on “60 Minutes,” responding with the now-infamous statement, “Oh, it’s focused. I’d say it’s—I think it’s—I—I haven’t—look, I have trouble even mentioning, even saying to myself, my own head, the number of years. I no more think of myself as being as old as I am than fly.”
When it comes to considering other candidates, young voters appear open to anyone else, even if many are unfamiliar with alternative options. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. garnered support from 13% of young Democratic voters, while Marianne Williamson closely trails Biden with the support of 27% of 18-29-year-olds. Williamson’s popularity among young Democrats stems from her ability to engage with them on alternative media platforms and social media. She has leveraged platforms like TikTok to connect intimately with a broad audience, amassing over 500,000 followers.
In contrast, the White House has taken an out-of-touch approach, with Biden recently giving a rare interview to the Weather Channel. Meanwhile, Cornel West’s emergence as a Green Party candidate has caused concern for the White House, Andrew Yang’s cross-partisan Forward Party is preparing to field its first candidates, and No-Labels, a bipartisan political organization, has hinted at a third-party ticket. Dissatisfied young voters now have more alternatives than ever before.
This is why, in the upcoming 2024 election, young voters may very well turn away from the Democratic Party. In fact, more members of Gen Z identify as independent rather than affiliating with the Democrats or Republicans. This next generation embraces an “earn my vote” mentality, and candidates would be wise to take note, considering that half of all eligible voters will be either Gen Z or millennials by 2028. Failure to address their concerns and priorities may push young voters away from the party or even the two-party system altogether.
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