Students at Notre Dame University support President Donald J. Trump over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, by an almost two-point margin, according to new election data. This is the first time in twelve years that students have preferred a Republican over a Democrat at the ostensibly ‘Catholic’ university.
The Irish Rover, a student-run newspaper, surveyed students between September 15 and 18. The results show that Trump holds 47.6 percent of the student vote, compared to Harris’s 45.9 percent. In 2020, then-candidate Joe Biden garnered 66 percent of student support compared to Trump’s 29 percent. Similarly, in 2016, Hillary Clinton led Trump by 59 percent to 24 percent in a comparable poll.
Elliot Anderson, president of Notre Dame’s College Republicans chapter, was astonished by the results. “It’s amazing to see a college campus stand by President Trump,” Anderson told The Rover.
The data suggests Kamala Harris may be struggling to appeal to Catholic voters. Her inability to garner majority support on the university campus could indicate a challenging environment for Harris among white Catholics—and perhaps Catholics overall.
The National Pulse reported earlier this week that Harris announced she will not attend the annual Al Smith dinner on October 17 in New York City, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate in 36 years not to do so. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York, the Catholic fundraiser typically features lighthearted exchanges between presidential candidates.
Responding to the snub, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, remarked, “We’re not used to this; we don’t know how to handle it. This hasn’t happened in 40 years since Walter Mondale turned down the invitation. And remember, he lost 49 out of 50 states.”
A Pew Research Center poll published on September 10 showed Trump leading Harris by five points among Catholic voters nationally. This poll also highlighted Trump’s strong lead among white Catholic voters, with a 23-point margin (61 percent to 38 percent).
