Why are Young Voters So Down on Joe Biden?

Biden’s age is a liability, but conventional politicians have always been a tough sell for young voters

This week’s newsletter is inspired by a new survey report, The 2024 Presidential Election: Evolving Political Coalitions and Familiar Partisan Divisions, that explores a wide range of political attitudes, current voting preferences, and perceptions of the political parties. The survey was based on interviews with over 6,000 Americans. 

Starting in about 2004, young voters emerged as a consistently reliable Democratic voting bloc. Barack Obama enjoyed a massive advantage among young voters in the 2008 election, besting 72-year-old John McCain by a 34-point margin. Even as public support waned for Obama during his first term, young adults remained steadfast in their support. Young voters were critical for Biden’s win in 2020 as well. Six in ten young adults voted for Biden in 2020, while only 36 percent supported Trump.  

Despite this substantial margin, there were early signs that young voters were not sold on Biden. A survey we conducted in the summer of 2020 found that nearly one in th…