Vice President Kamala Harris saw a strong surge in support among young voters in key swing states after she became the presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee, according to a poll.
A Change Research for Investing in U.S survey of 2,228 urban and suburban voters aged 18-30 in Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, conducted shortly after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, showed Harris leading Donald Trump by 24 points (53 percent to 29).
The survey shows a significant 20-point improvement for the Democratic ticket from the previous poll conducted before Biden withdrew from the 2024 race. In the June poll of young urban and suburban voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Biden had the support of 33 percent of his demographic, six points ahead of Trump on 27 percent.
The poll is the latest indication that Harris is riding a wave of enthusiasm and momentum for her White House bid which was previously missing when Biden was still in the running.
Even before Biden’s languished performance at the CNN debate performance on June 27, the 81-year-old had long faced calls that he was too old to run for a second term. Polls also suggested voters were not enthused at the prospect of November’s race being a rematch of the 2020 election between the incumbent and the 78-year-old Trump.
The Change Research poll shows that 47 percent of young voters in the four battleground states say they are more likely to vote if Harris is the Democratic nominee, including 36 percent who say they would be “much more likely” to vote in November.
A total of 61 percent of suburban and urban young voters said a Harris nomination would make them more likely to urge their friends to vote, including 70 percent of Democrats.
Newsweek reached out to Harris’ office via email for comment.
Max Lubin from Kismet Research, who worked to develop the survey, suggested Harris’ rise in support among young voters can be attributed to an increase in online engagement.
“I think outside groups have a role to play in reaching young voters online with some of the fun and innovative tactics that we’ve seen so far,” Lubin told Semafor.
“I also think what’s clear in this poll is President Harris is exciting a whole audience of youth that might have otherwise stayed home in November if she was not the candidate.”
Elsewhere, the Change Research survey shows that young voters are becoming more alarmed about the Heritage Foundation’s conservative Project 2025 agenda, which Harris and other Democratic figures have frequently suggested is tied to Trump’s campaign.
Overall, 71 percent of young voters said they find Project 2025 “scary,” including 62 percent who are “terrified” by it. These numbers have risen from the respective 61 percent and 50 percent recorded at the last poll.
The poll also reveals that 68 percent of voters find a campaign message of enshrining reproductive rights in November is convincing to persuade them to vote.
The Change Research poll surveyed 2,228 adults aged between 18-30 in suburban or urban ZIP codes in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin between July 22-24. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The post Kamala Harris Youthquake as She Jumps 20 Points With Young Voters appeared first on Newsweek.
