Former President Donald Trump appears to be closing the gap with Joe Biden among young voters. In 2020, the former President lost millennial and Gen Z voters by around 20 points. However, the Biden government’s hawkish support for Israel, the sluggish domestic economy, and skyrocketing housing prices appear to be driving the youth vote away from the Democratic Party.
A December 2023 New York Times/Siena College poll indicated Trump may be winning the 18 to 29-year-old voter demographic. According to the survey, he leads the age category with 49 percent, compared to Biden’s 43 percent. In the same poll, Biden held only a slight edge among Millennials in the age 30 to 44 demographic. A survey for Axios by Generation Lab of voters between 18 and 34 shows Biden with only a four-point lead over Trump (52 percent to 48 percent).
The cause of youth dissatisfaction with President Biden appears to be driven by a combination of foreign and domestic policy issues. Biden’s support for Israel in the ongoing war with the Hamas terrorist group has undoubtedly played a role in the President’s collapse in support among young voters. However, the weak economy, hot housing market, and Biden’s broken student loan promises may also play significant roles.
Housing affordability in the United States has hit an all-time low. The monthly mortgage payment shot up nearly 20 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, hitting an average of $2,600. Additionally, continued economic recession fears have likely played a role in Biden’s low approvals across all voter demographics.