Young Voters Appear To Be Turning On Trump And Republicans in General: Poll

Young people appear to be swinging back to the Democratic Party, voicing dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the state of the country, a new survey shows.

The national poll, released by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, has likely voters aged between 18-29 favoring Democrats over Republicans by a 37-point margin - 63 percent to 26 percent. Ten percent said they are undecided.

The poll also found that young people are fairly pessimistic about the nation's future. Only 9 percent said that the country is on the right track, with 62 percent saying that it was on the wrong track. Nearly 70 percent said they felt more fearful than hopeful about America's future.

"Young voters are poised to deliver a sharp rebuke to President Trump, while the broader generation is sending a message to everyone in power," said John Della Volpe, Director of Polling at the Institute of Politics. "Just one in four young Americans expects to be better off financially than their parents — and with corruption near the top of their concerns, leaders will have to earn trust by making life more affordable and showing whose interests they serve."

Also, 63 percent of young likely to vote view their midterm election vote as an opportunity to voice opposition to President Trump and his policies. Overall, 77% of young Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy.

The New York Times noted that Trump did reasonably well with the younger demographic in 2024, but younger voters appear to be turning away from him.

According to the outlet, Trump actually won young men with 55 percent. Also, 31 percent of young women voted for Trump. Now, Democrats hold a one-point lead among young men, and Trump's support among women has fallen to 13 percent.

The Harvard poll found that young voters are very concerned about government corruption, with 88 percent saying the issue was important to them. About 56 percent of young people said that corruption was an extremely important issue. This made it second only to the cost of living.

"Young people feel economic pressure, and they're holding the current administration responsible — making the midterms a critical referendum on Trump and his policies," said Sophia Robertson, Student Chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project.

"Corruption is a top concern, reflecting profound distrust in fundamental democratic institutions. As they feel current policies fall short, young people are turning toward populist economic ideas and candidates who actively respond to the crises they face," she said.