Other Democrats Outperform Biden Among Young Americans, Says New U.S. News-Generation Lab Survey

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Jul 10, 2024, 06:00 ET

Kamala Harris is among the potential replacements to eclipse Biden in support, but the vice president is far from a front-runner, the poll shows.

WASHINGTON, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Several Democratic leaders hold an edge in support over President Joe Biden among young adults in a head-to-head race against former President Donald Trump, a new survey from U.S. News & World Report and Generation Lab reveals.

Uniquely examining the attitudes and opinions of the nation's youngest voting bloc in key battleground states, the survey results come as part of a collaboration between U.S. News and Generation Lab.

Among the key findings of the survey of adults ages 18-34:

In a head-to-head matchup against Trump, the poll finds that Biden beats Donald Trump among young adults, 59% to 41%. In 2020, survey respondents who voted preferred Biden over Trump, 69% to 25% (MoE: +/- 3.9 percentage points).
- Other Democrats do better than Biden in head-to-head matchups against Trump, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom – each of whom earned 63% support compared with Trump's 37%.
- Former first lady Michelle Obama, who has never expressed interest in running, beats Trump 72% to 28%.
When given a slate of 13 Democratic and Republican candidates and asked who they would vote for if the election were held that day, 22% of overall survey respondents chose Trump, compared with 17% who chose Biden and just 4% who chose Harris.
Biden's most fervent message – that democracy is on the ballot this election – hasn't broken through to young adults: 38% say they neither agree nor disagree with that statement, compared with 46% who agree or strongly agree and 17% who disagree or strongly disagree.
Young adults are split when asked whether they agree or disagree with the statement, "I am better off right now than I was four years ago": 37% say they disagree or strongly disagree, 31% say they agree or strongly agree, and 32% say they neither agree nor disagree. Among those reporting they are not better off, 70% cite the state of the economy.
Just 49% of young adults definitely plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

"Our survey makes it clear that President Biden is bleeding support among young Americans as Democrats consider whether the 81-year-old president is the party's best candidate to face off against former President Donald Trump in November," said Dafna Linzer, U.S. News' editorial director and executive vice president. "In this crucial election cycle, our work with Generation Lab will help U.S. News provide comprehensive data to those seeking insights into the hearts and minds of our nation's young voters as we approach the 2024 presidential election."

"The upcoming presidential election will likely be decided by a small margin, so these polls will be vital in understanding where the younger generation stands, and what may ultimately tip the scales of the election one way or the other," said Jira Smith, Generation Lab's director of research.

The survey was conducted online by Generation Lab on June 28-July 5, 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 2,040 U.S. adults, ages 18-34 living in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, yielding a margin error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

For additional survey findings, U.S. News has published related content including an overview as well as an analysis on Biden's pain points with young Americans.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About Generation Lab
Generation Lab is one of the leading polling firms in the country; tapping the largest database of young respondents in America, Generation Lab conducts polling and research that's scientific enough for Stanford, quick enough for Axios, valuable enough for Walmart, impactful enough for Rockefeller Foundation, and innovative enough for Andreesen Horowitz. Generation Lab helps governments, corporations, journalists, and the public understand and make decisions about young people. To learn more, visit https://www.generationlab.org/.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.